The Damned Diaries
by Wittzan
Summary: Parker Gilbert has always been the most troubled one in the Gilbert family; the rebel. This caused her to leave and seek out demons that haunted her past. But as she returns to her small, sleepy hometown Mystic Falls, her past slowly begins to resurface for her family. As well as her tendency to fall for the handsome type with questionable moral in a black leather jacket.
1. Prologue

Blood came gushing out, painting the floor red.

The same red of my mother's blouse, the one she'd worn when she held my sister for the first time. The tiny baby delivered from a strange, young woman who'd showed up in the middle of the night, in the rippling rain. One who had stared at me with wide eyes, full of such terror as her hand had clung to her swelling belly.

A ripping spread through my limbs, _tore_ , and a flash of green filled my vision for a moment.

The exact color of green as the traffic light we had sped past, my mother panting in the backseat as her body pushed out a baby boy. A lighter shade had clad the walls of the room she was placed in hours later, the place where I was allowed to hold my little brother for the first time. Having been granted the permission whilst my sister wailed outside in the corridor, I couldn't have felt more special; the oldest of the clan. The one who was granted the knowledge of well-kept secrets.

Secrets. So many of them had edged my life. Hidden agendas, lies told straight into my parents' faces, truths kept to protect both myself and those few I loved.

Darkness crept in from the edges of my sight, consuming everything.

Just like it had during that dark, vile period of my life. The one filled with impossible things, dreadful acts. All which shaped me, made me stronger, but also more malicious. A time only briefly cut off by death not inflicted by me, but instead on those who I cared deeply for. A terrible accident; water filling their lungs; my parents, gone. Although, somehow, there had been hope for my sister also present in the car.

However, the air leaving me now, the lack of it squeezing me dry, wouldn't put me in a coma in a hospital. No, I was going to a far more permanent place. There was no escaping this realm, no matter how much I tried, it was drawing me in.

Its unbearable fire was approaching quickly. It devoured all else; the blood; the flash of pain; past, hidden mysteries; the overwhelming darkness. Soon, all would be hot and I would be nothing but ash. A fate which had long been visible and as clear as day.

After all, I had been damned from the start.


	2. Returning

" _Burn, baby, burn!"_

"You mind turning that down?"

" _Disco inferno!"_

"C'mon! It's a great song!"

Slumping back in my car seat, I shook my head with a huff. From the front, the cab driver kept singing along. Instead of giving in to any dark urges, I clenched my hand into a fist and turned my attention to what passed by outside the vehicle's window.

I couldn't help but wonder: had it _always_ been this small? The houses, the streets… even the people! All except for the woods, perhaps; endlessly green and dark. The cab drove past it all in a flash, arriving sooner than I'd expected.

So small, even the building attempting to tower up before me. The three storey house made up of brown stone, with white marble framing the windows, was nothing in comparison to what all kinds of large cities all around the world had to offer. It looked rather futile, truth be told. But then again the rental studio apartment _had_ been ridiculously cheap.

"I got that," I stated before the cabbie had the chance to grab my only bag for me from the trunk, flashing a tense smile. I received a mere shrug in response, not granting the driver another thought after I'd paid up.

Ascending three flights of stairs, a name in cursive letters written on a note taped above the mailbox stared back at me. _Parker Gilbert._ It had sure been a while since I saw it. Apart from that, a letter peeked out from the mailbox; it was from my landlord. As I read his ugly handwriting with growing disgust, I finally had enough and crumbled the paper to bits once I got to the part where he described how he would love to make ' _other arrangements'_ if I'd ever somehow be unable to pay my rent. That was _never_ going to happen.

Instead of noting that growing fire inside, I shifted my focus onto the old door in front of me; mainly to try and get it open. After granting it a few minutes, I gave up my struggle of putting my entire weight against the caving wood.

I'd had enough.

Taking a few steps back, I drew a deep breath, before I ran and kicked at the door with my high-heeled boot. Instantly, it flew open. Feeling quite pleased with myself, I stepped inside my apartment.

First impression: it _definitely_ needed some work done. As in new wallpaper, a thorough cleaning of the small kitchenette, as well as a renovation of the bathroom right in front of me. And maybe some new floorboards too _._

 _Okay,_ definitely _new floorboards,_ I stated as I my foot went through the floor. But hey! At least it was still cheap.

Although the state of the apartment _did_ make me question my decision to live alone, instead of in the same house as my siblings and aunt. Still, I knew myself well enough to be sure I wouldn't be able to stand them for more than a few days. Being on your own would do that to you. I sure as hell wasn't ready to change that, at least not anytime soon.

Since I didn't feel like unpacking, mainly because I almost had nothing to unpack, I just dumped my duffel bag and grabbed the rusty keys as I went to try and close the stubborn old door. Jiggling it a bit before closing it seemed to do the trick, which I put in mind for the future.

* * *

An odd feeling settled in my stomach when I reached my old, white house. As I walked along the stone path and gazed at the trimmed bushes and the porch embracing the house, I named that growing feeling as nostalgic.

This was where I'd grown up.

I had used to run in circles around this house for hours and hours, before I collapsing on the green lawn from exhaustion, to look up at the sky. My mom had usually joined me. During those moments amongst the strands of green, she had taught me how to find shapes of animals and objects in the formation of the clouds. We would just lay there for what felt like hours without end. Even after the sky had darkened, the stars had come out and the grass beneath us had turned damp. It usually ended with my dad carrying me inside whilst telling me about the names of the constellations; although I never really listened, it sounded way too sciency and boring, whilst just looking at the clouds was more relaxing and fun.

The sound of the front door opening awoke me from my thoughts.

"Well, you guys have fun–" Jenna called over her shoulder whilst she struggled to put on her green, thin jacket on the go, but halted in her action and stopped in front of me with a surprised look on her face as our eyes met. It was quickly replaced with a wide grin. "Funny seeing _you_ here!"

"You too, Jenna." A warm feeling filled my heart as my aunt drew me into an embrace with a laughter.

"Look who I found!" she yelled over her shoulder, reluctantly drawing back a little from our hug. Soon, a familiar figure appeared in the hallway inside.

"Well, hello there, stranger," I greeted as I smiled at the baffled expression on my younger sister's face.

"Oh my God," Elena breathed out. "PARKS!" Once again, I was buried by a hug as Elena jumped me, and suddenly I started to feel a little too emotional for my usual self. Although when she ultimately drew away I'd had enough time to gather myself. Elena placed her hands on my cheeks, as if she couldn't believe that I was _actually_ standing in front of her, having to make sure I was truly real. "It's good to have you back." One of her genuine smiles spread out, those who were more rare these days, ever since the car crash…

In the moments that followed – after I'd inquired about the whereabouts of our baby bro and received an oddly vague answer I'd make sure to press more about later – I was quickly informed that Elena had her evening all booked up. So much for that long-lasting reunion, then. Not that I complained, smaller steps over big ones were the key here.

"A dinner to make the old best friend like the new boyfriend?" I checked to make sure I'd gotten it right. "Sounds complicated," I commented with a faint frown.

"It might be, but I want Bonnie to get to know Stefan better. I think they got off on the wrong foot." She handed me a glass of water as I sat on the kitchen counter. Eagerly, I emptied it whilst giving Jenna in the hallway a thumbs up as a sign to leave.

 _I got this_ , I mouthed at her. She sighed and picked up her bag from the hallway floor, giving me one last questioning look. _Go!_ I waved her away when my sister was busy fiddling with some of the food she'd started preparing on the kitchen counter, her back turned to me.

"Well, I'll see you guys later. Have fun!" Jenna called, flashing me a last smile as she closed the front door behind her.

"Bye Jenna! As I was saying, this dinner is really important to me." Elena had a worried look on her face, so I gave her a light stroke over her arm to show my support. The gesture felt a bit odd; I wasn't accustomed to making it, but if I was ever getting over that threshold for _someone,_ then it'd be for Elena.

"Relax, sis. It's gonna be fine. I mean, they both love you – or like," I quickly added and made a face, "don't know how far gone you are with this guy yet. But either way, even if they don't get along, everything will work out! Besides, _I'm_ here now. I can beat some sense into Bonnie if she's way too rude to this Stefan. Or if _he_ misbehaves." I delivered the last part with a confident hair flip, which made Elena laugh.

"You know, I've really missed you."

"I know, El. I've missed you too." That nostalgic feeling of sadness was starting to creep back on me when those big, brown, doe eyes looked at me with such genuine love, therefore I quickly changed the subject. "Soooo, what's this Stefan like? Nothing like little Matty, I hope?"

Elena's smile was faint. "No… He's definitely different from Matt."

"Good! No offense or anything, but that blue-eyed puppy was a bit too boring." In other words, not _my_ type. "Not that I don't love Matt," I had to add when my sister's brows furrowed in concern. "I do! But, he's just so…"

"Simple?" Elena offered.

"Yes!" I exclaimed with my finger pointing at her. "It never really felt like there was any spark between you guys." I spoke from my brief experiences of on a few rare occasions having seen the former couple together.

"You might be right…" Elena murmured, but was interrupted by the sound of someone knocking at the door.

"I got it," I declared and jumped down from the kitchen counter, actually a bit exited to shock someone else with my return. I got my wish. As I opened the front door, I was greeted by a familiar heart-shaped face framed by dark curls. "Hey there, Bonnie-Bear."

"Wha– Parker?" a surprised Bonnie exclaimed, her large eyes somehow turning even bigger. We met in a hug before she instantly started showering me with questions my sister had been too polite to ask. Where had I been? What had I done? Met any cute boys…? To the last one I simply gave a secretive smile, steering the attention to the cooking my sister so desperately was trying to succeed with.

Soon enough, Bonnie was too focused on helping Elena make dinner to have time to ask me anything else; which suited me perfect. As much as I was – and for many years been – known for liking to be in the centre of a crowd's attention, showing off, the circumstances were entirely different when prying questions were involved. Causing a scene was always satisfying, but not at the cost of certain things better kept secret coming out.

Bonnie, clearly not believing the same, easily shared how she had started seeing different numbers during the past few days; which was somehow linked to a previous bad feeling she'd had about Stefan, she told me in confident. Apparently, her grandmother kept nagging her about how she was a witch, something Elena teased her about as I reached to grab a bowl for the heated pasta, handing it to Elena.

"Putting it in a nice bowl isn't fooling anybody," Bonnie teased back.

"Hey, Elena, where do you keep the serving spoons?" I asked after I had dug through a seventh kitchen drawer. I should've known this, having lived here and all, but apparently they had rearranged the kitchen since then.

"Middle drawer on your left," Bonnie answered automatically before Elena even had the chance to open her mouth. Pensively, I opened the drawer, giving her a surprised look as I picked up the wooden spoons. Elena seemed a bit shocked as well, but quickly shrugged it off.

"Okay, so you've been in this kitchen, like, _a thousand_ times."

"Yeah, that's it," Bonnie replied and gave Elena a doubtful glance. The doorbell's signal cleared the air.

"I'll get it!" I quickly declared, heading for the door to escape the talk of the supernatural. Reassuring words were uttered by my sister to her best friend behind me, but I suspected they weren't much of a comfort.

Ripping the door open with a firm jerk, I instantly came face to face with a, frankly, ridiculously cute guy around my sister's age. With light brown hair sitting atop a squarish face with a broad forehead, a straight nose and a pair of forest-green eyes to match, he might not have seemed like much for the world, but there was a hint of kindness lining his features that didn't escape me. Currently, his thin lips, tattling of adorable dimples, were drawn into a slightly surprised smile.

"Stefan, I presume." I reached out my hand for him, and he politely took it to shake it. "I'm the absent, but still oh so lovely, older sister." I received a genuine smile from him this time around, showing that my suspicion about the dimples had been very much true.

"It's nice to meet you," Stefan spoke, but with a voice seeming far older than seventeen. "I've heard so much about you."

"Oh, really?" I cocked up a brow with interest and leaned against the doorframe.

"All true, most of it good," Elena cut in, waving us into the kitchen with the nervous beam of someone who _really_ wanted their boyfriend to be liked by the family.

Whilst she instantly became busy with setting the table at the fastest speed imaginable, Bonnie made sure to stay as far away as possible from the male at my side.

"I don't think she likes me very much," Stefan noted, following my gaze to the dark-haired girl.

"Oh, don't worry about it. She's just a little caught up with some witchy stuff," I explained with a wave of my hand.

"Excuse me?" Stefan did a double-take and turned his gaze to me. I didn't fail to note the surprise in his eyes. _Interesting._

"It's just something her grandma's nagging her about. She'll warm up to you in time, trust me," I assured. "But in the meantime..." I said and clapped my hands together. "I have to give you the mandatory grilling every guy my sister's interested in receives." Matt almost peed his pants when he got it, but then again he had been about eleven at the time. Stefan, instead, only gave me a look between baffled and amusement. In turn, I eyed him seriously whilst awaiting a response.

"Ask what you need to know," he finally answered politely.

"Alright then!" I smirked contently. "What would you do if I told you that Elena was keeping a _huge_ secret from you?" I could feel Stefan tense up beside me, but his face remained neutral. Again: _interesting._ "And that the secret was _SO_ big, that it could threaten your _entire_ relationship?" I intently awaited Stefan's answer, wondering if my observation of him had been correct. It probably was: _I was always right._ I could see him carefully selecting his words before answering me.

"I would tell you that whatever the secret may be, she probably has her reasons for keeping it. And I think that she will reveal it, in time." His voice was slow and thoughtful, the green orbs earnest. Better than peeing his pants, I suppose.

"Good enough for me," I gave him with a shrug and a reassuring pat on the shoulder, before squeezing it tightly. "Just don't hurt her," I half-warned, coolly.

"I promise," Stefan answered, and I honestly wanted to believe him.

The table, just so happening to be done in that very moment, became the setting for the following awkward dinner. Cutlery clinking against porcelain, I _really_ started to regret accepting Elena's invitation to join the meal. Free food sure as hell wasn't worth this. The only time _some_ whatsoever interaction between Stefan and Bonnie was ever made, was when the witch-thing was forced up as a subject by my tightly smiling sister. By then, Stefan had an answer prepared, and it turned out he really knew his stuff.

"Well, it's certainly interesting. I'm not too versed, but I do know that there's a history of Celtic Druids that migrated here in the 1800s."

"My family came by way of Salem," Bonnie replied and set her fork with a spiked piece of pasta down, suddenly forgotten.

"Really? Salem witches?"

"Yeah." Bonnie smiled awkwardly.

"I'd say that's pretty cool," Stefan said and briefly turned to Elena, who answered with a joyous beam.

"Really? Why?" As Bonnie asked this, Elena's head swiveled from having faced Stefan on her left to turn to me on her right, giving me the same beam. It was hard to miss how happy she was about the best friend and the boyfriend finally _somewhat_ getting along. In return, I gave her a quick thumbs up, before scraping up the last of my pasta from my plate.

"Salem witches are heroic examples of individualism and nonconformity," Stefan spoke, throwing fancy words out there.

"Yeah, they are." Bonnie, at least, seemed to be pleased with that answer. It finally looked as if she was beginning to warm up to the guy. Leaning back in my chair, I threw a look at the clock by the refrigerator. The time difference was really starting to get to me, a numb sleepiness settling in.

"Well, I hate to break this party up, but I should probably go," I said and pulled my chair back, grabbing my plate to place it on the light brown kitchen counter; a habit left in my spine from my mom's pointed looks at this very table. Stefan, turning more and more knightly polite by the second in my eyes, got up from his chair as well.

"It was nice meeting you," he acknowledged as we shook hands once more. In the midst, I winked at Elena when I was sure he didn't notice; giving my approval. She gave me a grateful smile in return.

"I'm done anyways," Bonnie said, and she and my sister began clearing the table. "It was really good to see you again, Parker. It's been too long."

"You too, Bonnie-Bear." I returned her smile. Stefan raised his brows at me, but I just waved off the silent question of the nickname as he followed me to the door like the polite guy he clearly was. "Well, it truly was really nice meeting you, too," I said to Stefan as I grabbed my brown leather jacket from a hook by the door. "I guess I'll be seeing a lot of you around," I threw over my shoulder, reaching for the door handle as he chuckled.

"Likewi–" Stefan began, but was cut off by a firm knock on the door. I exchanged a quick look with him, just as clueless to this late night visitor, before opening the barrier, and instantly stared into a pair of radiant, pale blue eyes in the middle of a perfectly featured face.

The male in front of me gave me a slightly surprised smile, as if the last person he'd expected to come to face with was standing in front of him as well. A person who, noting by the way his gaze did a quick roam of my body after he'd gathered himself and delivered what could only be described as a devilish smile – which _sadly_ made a pulse of electricity shoot through my body – clearly was nothing more than an attractive distraction in his eyes.

"Hello there." His gaze lingered on my neckline, and I decided that, evoking electricity or not, I did _not_ like the guy in front of me, and gave him a dark look. As if he'd read my mind, he looked over my head. Right at Stefan. "Hello, brother."

"Damon." Stefan's voice, cold and hostile, I noticed as soon as I heard him say the very first syllable, didn't do anything to the raven-black beauty's smirk. Clearly, these two brothers were anything but good friends. Probably some buried family secret, _or_ – I considered as I spotted my sister approaching us, and the dark, hungry look the Damon-fellow rested on her – Stefan had _every_ right to be wary of his brother. That feeling only grew as my gaze flickered to the familiar blonde at his side; a beaming blonde who had her arm looped with his.

"Parker! You're back!" Caroline exclaimed. With a leap into the house, she had her arms thrown around me, her blonde curls flicking my face in the process. "Finally!" she added, a harder tone to her voice, even with her broad, somewhat fake, smile very much still in place.

"Caroline?" a taken aback Elena asked from behind me.

"Surprise! Bonnie said you were doing dinner so we brought dessert," Caroline chirped, showing us the cake in her hands.

"Hope you don't mind," Damon added. I continued my act of staring him down, but it only seemed to amuse him, as his fleer only turned wider. _Bastard._

"What are you doing here?" Stefan asked and stepped in between me and Damon. It felt like a sort of protecting gesture, probably only made out of kindness, but it bugged me. I didn't need _anyone_ fighting my battles for me; _especially_ not my sister's new boyfriend.

"Waiting for Elena to invite me in," Damon answered and took a step closer to the doorway, still without passing the threshold. I narrowed my gaze at his boots inches away from entering, moving it to his face. He cocked a challenging brow up in return.

"Yeah, you–" my sister began.

"No, no, no," Stefan cut Elena off with. "He can't, um… He can't stay." There was some exchanging of confused looks before Stefan continued, looking right at his brother this time. "Can you, Damon?"

"Get in here," Caroline said somewhere behind me, but I didn't pay her any attention. All that was going through my mind was that Stefan clearly had a reason for not wanting Damon to enter, and a nagging feeling in my stomach – along with the look for my sister earlier, and the challenge just now – told me to listen to him. So I cleared my throat.

"Well the fun is already over. We're just finishing up here." I held up my brown leather jacket in my arms as an explanatory gesture. "And I'm leaving."

"It's fine," Elena reassured, and I rolled my eyes at her. Did she _really_ not notice any of the signals Stefan was sending her? "Just come on in." She waved, and Damon looked _very_ pleased as he entered the house, flashing Stefan a smile when he swept past him. He stopped in front of me to hold out his hand.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced." He raised a brow at me, and I stared down at his hand. I felt a firm nudge in my back from my sister, and took the damn hand with an unhidden sigh.

"Parker," I introduced myself through clenched jaws, whilst I tried to ignore the disapproving look my sister directed at my harsh tone.

"Damon," the, quite frankly, _gorgeous_ man responded with that slightly crooked smirk; sadly, it looked really damn cute on him, and the irresistible dimples seemed to run in the family. He held onto my hand, just a second long enough for me to feel a bit uncomfortable about it, his intense blue gaze never once leaving my face. After he released me, a forgotten breath easing out of my lungs, he looked around the narrow hallway. "You have a beautiful home," he commented. It was clearly directed towards Elena, but I could _still_ feel his eyes on me. All over me. What was this guy's bloody deal?

Hearing my sister politely thank him, I caught the two brothers yet again exchange strange looks, Damon looking pleased and Stefan troubled. Another tense meal was quickly arising, and, honestly, I did _not_ have the energy left to endure it. So, instead, I just gave Elena a quick hug, Stefan a comforting pat on the shoulder, and Damon one last glare, before I once again reached for the door to attempt an escape.

"Well, I'm gonna head off. That time difference," I explained with a yawn. "I'll see you tomorrow?" The last part was directed to Elena. She nodded, looking both brave and defeated. This certainly wasn't what she had been expecting, either; maybe she could bond with Stefan over it. Ignoring Damon's ' _nice to meet you'_ I firmly closed the door behind me.

The chilly night air enfolded me, my shoulders instantly slacking as a loud _WHEW_ escaped me. Even for all the money in the world, I wouldn't change places with my sister for what was to follow.

Pushing the uneasy feeling about Damon away, I walked home, stating to myself that I was _way_ too tired to care about any of that detectable mysteriousness right now. The same went for the alarm ringing at the back of my mind.

But the feeling never left me, not even as I tried falling asleep in my new apartment, getting accustomed to the unfamiliar sounds from the street outside; it was too quiet in comparison to my usual choice of place to live. Finally, having had enough of laying awake, I decided to sniff around and interrogate Elena about this new Damon guy _tomorrow_. The decision was what _finally_ pushed me over the edge and into a nice, dreamless sleep.


	3. The Early Drinker

"Soooo, how did last night go? After that Damon-guy showed up," I smoothly inquired, trailing the top of the glass placed on the table in front of me.

"It went…fine," my sister replied with a shrug from across the table of the booth we'd chosen at the Grill; a place I'd missed more than I realized, which had become clear to me the moment I'd sat my foot inside it a few hours ago.

Since then, sitting and waiting for my sister with a drink in hand as I eyed the familiar crowd, even tightly greeting some of my old high school classmates apparently still hanging around town, I'd strangely enough felt more and more oddly at home at the place. But maybe it was just the alcohol lined up behind the bar counter that gave me the homey feel.

"Although he was a little too flirty for my taste," Elena added. With the look he'd given her last night, I couldn't help but agree that that was a problem.

"He's still hot though," I stated, waiting for her reaction. As I took a sip from my drink, she raised a questioning brow at me. "What? Do you deny it?" I questioned. At least that's what _I_ had been trying to do last night, but failed miserably. Even though simply facing the facts, I wasn't claiming it made me _like_ him. The good looks and intense eyes rather made me think the opposite, which I made sure to be known to my sister. "I didn't say I liked him," I voiced with a scowl. " _Far_ from it, actually."

"Good. Then we agree," Elena acknowledged with a nod.

"Maybe we we can agree on something else _as well_ ," I began, resting my forearms on the table as I leaned a bit closer. "Because I'm not a big fan of him hanging around Caroline, either."

"I know," Elena sighed, sinking back into her seat. "But even if Caroline may seem a bit childish at times," – she certainly did in _my_ eyes, given that she was six years younger than me – "she can still take care of herself." The certainty to my sister's voice left no room for argument, but I went on anyway.

"Either way, I'm gonna keep an eye on how that develops," I stated, taking a sip from my drink. The clear alcohol burned pleasantly as it slid its way down my throat, easing the intense emotion my sister's next inquiry brought out.

"So you're _really_ staying, then?" she checked, carefully. The vulnerability in her big, brown eyes was hard to miss as I gazed into them, and I couldn't do much else than nod.

"Yeah," I nodded carefully, my words quiet. "That's the plan."

"I'm glad," Elena beamed. Quickly, she shook her head and wiped the corner of her eye. "Sorry, I just… I can't believe it."

"It's okay," I assured, reaching to squeeze her hand faintly. Again, the oddness of the gentle gesture washed over me, but I forced myself to remain in it. As I was sticking around, I didn't have much else of a choice than to get used to it.

"Anyway," Elena began, gathering herself with a breath. "Back to the topic: Damon doesn't seem like a guy that would hurt her, if that's what you're worried about."

 _Worried_ was pushing it. But concerned, yes. And sadly I didn't share my sister's impression – who always saw and believed in the good in people – of the male I'd briefly met. From what little I had gathered, he was _definitely_ hiding something.; my intent was to find out what. As well as getting more acquainted with this hometown of mine.

"Hm," I merely muttered, taking yet another mouthful of my drink to gulp down. When I noticed the disapproving look that flashed over Elena's face, I sat a questioning frown in place as I put down my glass on the table with a thud. "What?"

"Nothing," she shook it off with. _I,_ however, didn't drop the matter so easily. "It's just…" Elena began with a sigh. "Isn't it a little early to be drinking already?"

"I'm 23," I reminded. "Besides, it's never too early." Top notch role model of the year here, really. Especially given my added smirk.

"I meant for the day," Elena said with another sigh. "But you know what, never mind." With a shake of her head, she started to get up, sliding her way out of the booth. "I need to go make some preparations for the Founder's Party. Carol Lockwood wants some stuff Mom promised to borrow her, way back when." As if remembering my so recent return back here, she halted her movement. "You're coming to it, the party, right?" she questioned, the normally kind eyes attempting to pierce through me in an as threatening way as possible, which honestly wasn't very intimidating at all.

"Of course," I nonetheless answered with a reassuring smile, even if my will to attend a Founder's thing was pretty darn far down on the list of things I got excited about doing. But my sister didn't need to know that. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Great!" Elena exclaimed, hugging me so quickly I barely had time to hide my tensing in surprise, before she headed out of the Mystic Grill with a wave over her shoulder.

Once I was sure she was _really_ gone, out of the limited sight one got from the windows of the venue, I followed suit with slipping out of the booth, but instead made my way for the bar. There, a dark-haired figure dressed in a black leather jacket and jeans had been sitting for quite some time now. It was an as perfect opportunity as ever to find out what I wanted to know.

"Vodka," I told the bartender, flashing him a charming smile. He didn't even bother asking for my ID, even though I knew I looked way younger than my 23 years. During the whole time I waited for my drink, I felt the intense eyes glued to my side. "You know, it's rude to stare," I said once the bartender had handed me my glass filled with the familiar, see-through liquid.

"Sorry. But I'm just not used to someone so… _young_ liking something so strong," Damon explained, and the way he emphasized my age had me glancing over at him and his askew smirk.

"It's the only thing that tastes anything these days," I mumbled, taking a sip. Years and years of drowning my emotions in alcohol had ended with that result. "But it's always fun to drink cocky people under the table," I added. _Men_ , mainly, actually. Shocking them with my high tolerance was a _major_ plus side in my eyes; and any future talk about liver damage from my sister was something I could live with. However, something I _couldn't_ stand was how Damon still smiled at me from out of the corner of my eye.

Finally, I turned to look straight at him, and immediately agreed with my previous statement: he was hot. Letting my eyes freely wander over his appearance, this was only further confirmed. Dark, ruffled hair, perfect jawline, undoubtedly a perfect body underneath all that black clothing…

Lastly, I met those blue eyes, who were still looking right at me. Or actually, they were oddly focused on my bracelet. It was an unassuming little thing made of silver that had been gifted to me from my mother on my fifteenth birthday. Back then, she had made me promise I would _always_ wear it, but when I'd asked _why_ it was so darn important, she'd simply told me that it would always protect me. A weird enough statement as it was, but since then I'd learnt a lot more strange things, to now know it was a wish she had good reason for wanting me to honor as much as I could; and maybe even more.

Still feeling Damon watching me, I looked up from my fingers playing with one of the flat pendants on the jewelry strapped around my wrist to meet his gaze. It seemed as if he was trying to decide on something, peering back at me with an unreadable spark to his eyes.

"You're a bit of a mystery, you know," Damon suddenly said. Quickly, I had my answer lined up.

"You took the words right of my mouth," I responded with a tight smile. Damon's smile, or rather _smirk_ , lacked the same tightness. Instead, he seemed to be enjoying this a little _too_ much; and maybe for all the wrong reasons.

"It's just," he began easily, "that I don't remember Elena ever mentioning she had an older sister." According to Stefan last night, that wasn't true.

With a frown, I replied, "And I didn't know you talked so much with my sister."

"Well, after all, she _is_ my brother's girlfriend. It would be pretty rude of me to ignore her, despite of my personal feelings towards Stefan." I raised my brows, that was more information out of him than I'd ever hoped for. A picture of the relationship between the two brothers was slowly but surely starting to take form. "But now you're changing the subject," Damon tsked, giving me a jokingly accusing look. Automatically, I let out a chuckle as my brain conjured up an answer.

"Well, let's just say that I've put some distance between me and my family during the past couple of years," I decided to generously give him in return.

"Is that so?" He raised an interested brow, fishing for more.

There was a fine line to walk when deciding how much I would give him, but I had been doing this for years now.

"You know, the oldest." I shrugged with very aware nonchalance. "First born, first to go."

"I know what you mean." Damon nodded, a small yet tense smirk coating his lips. My silence, seemingly patient but in reality far from it, had him adding, "Rebelliousness seems to be a recurring trait, I've noticed." Ah, right; he was the eldest too. But speaking of which…

"Tell me about it." I shook my head with a chuckle. "You'd be surprised how well-acquainted I am with the local station here." A place I'd spent the majority of my high school years at, waiting for my parents to come and pick me up whilst chit-chatting with either Caroline's mom Sheriff Forbes or one of her deputies. Truthfully, I'd actually gotten rather close to all of them during my time spent there; maybe a swingby was about time.

"Somehow, I'm not," Damon replied, and to his somewhat amused tone I flashed a teasing grin.

"You find me so predictable?"

"There's a certain aura you learn to know after a dec…" He paused, rephrasing whatever had gotten stuck in his throat, with a smile. "After a few _years_. Even recognize it, too."

"Oh?" I raised my brows, a little entertained. "Care to take a guess what got me there, then?" His sensual, sly smirk was answer enough.

"Oh, I wouldn't dare," he only chuckled. And with every right. But to ease any colorful and perhaps scandalous imaginings; back then, my usual reasons for being at the police station was either due to getting caught drinking underaged or stealing cars and driving them a little _too_ recklessly. Or a few other things as well, but those are stories I'd rather save…

"At least you're smart," I slid back with a tone to match his.

"I _think_ I know how those visits might have ended, though," Damon commented, eyeing my reaction with interest. "Not too happy folks?"

"No, not really," I confirmed.

Once my parents had picked me up, I would receive the usual scolding from them; one that I, for the record, had unintentionally memorized by now. But it was still a useless one.

"There are some things parents never understand," Damon spoke, lowly, and for a moment he seemed to be far, _far_ away into his mind and memories. Whatever _he_ had experienced in his distant childhood, the basics seemed to apply to my own as well.

My sweet parents without faults had never understood neither me or my reckless ways. They had always – at least on the surface – been the perfect couple with the perfect family, always obeying the law. Maybe that was partly what had driven me to do all those things in the first place. Maybe I had been so _sick_ of watching little innocent Jeremy and sweet Elena – both set on paths of becoming either a good, protective and sweet boy or one of those annoying, preppy cheerleaders – that I had, naturally, rebelled.

And because of it, my grades hadn't been too fantastic when I started my senior year. In fact, they couldn't have been much worse. But right around the same time, I realized that if I ever wanted to get out of this small, boring dump I called my home, then college was pretty much my _only_ escape; or at least the only one my parents would allow me to take.

"Choices, for one," I commented, snapping Damon out of his memory.

"Speaking from experience?" he checked. This time, the smirk I gave him actually wasn't forced.

"I'll tell if you do."

Chuckling, he shifted in his seat to face me more properly. "My father was never one to understand decent behavior. Not towards me, not towards Stefan, and _definitely_ not towards our mother."

"Spotless front, dark and twisted inside," I stated, referring to more than just the man and the family as something in my heart tightened a bit.

Damon nodded. "And when it came to choices about the future, he always knew just how he wanted it for us. Both when it came to career and to love." Flashing a look over me – one I was used to getting from all crowds at the more or less questionable places I'd visited – he waited for me to deliver an answer in exchange for that generosity.

"Well, parents and future is something I know a thing or two about," I gave. "Any possible paths after school weren't looking too bright for me when senior year rolled around."

"Really? With all your well-spent time?" Even if he hadn't again added that already signature smirk, I would've heard the flirting from a mile away.

"Hm," I let out, smiling quickly and tensely. "Sadly, no. My grades were in need of a _major_ upswing."

"And here you sit now." Damon nodded at my drink, barely an inch from my fingertips. "Not doing too badly," he remarked with another smirk.

"I picked myself up." Studied hard and started to get good grades. Before I'd known it, things had actually began looking better. And once I'd put all that _actual_ effort into all school-related things, my mom had too become so involved in the whole thing, as well as excited, that the choosing of a college – a distant plan – had suddenly been turned into a closeby reality. Even sooner, I'd been lined up for a study program of psychology combined with – believe it or not – criminology at a university in New York. "Worked my way through college."

The combination might seem like an odd choice, yes – considering my knack for committing crimes and disobeying authorities – but by then an ulterior motive had arisen. One I wasn't sharing with Damon; one involving a need to ease a constant feeling I'd always had of being so… _incomplete._ For a long time, I'd known the reason to it, known the truth that I was, in fact, actually adopted. But to ease that feeling, I had thought that knowing my true origins – who my real parents were – was the key, and had _so_ badly wanted to find out everything there was to know about both them as well as how and why I'd ended up in Mystic Falls.

So, from the moment a time of being away from my mom and dad and to freely go where I pleased and talk to whoever I wanted had been an attainable future, I gathered enough of the bits and pieces I'd picked up about my biological parents over the years. After collecting these scraps _one_ thing had become utterly clear: whoever they were, during the time of my birth they'd both been so deep into some kind of government work that having a child just wasn't an option suitable for their lives.

Thus, I'd ended up in Mystic Falls, with a cool aunt who inspired the choosing of my other orientation in college.

Jenna, more of a friend than a relative, really, and all her talks of psychological theories and exciting stories she studied and read about at Whitmore College – unlike New York not that far away from Mystic Falls – during family dinners was what decided that particular choice. It brought us even closer together, having something to chat and bond over. But that lovely little scenario didn't last very long, as I soon realized college _really_ wasn't something for me. Which was something I _did_ inform Damon of:

"At least I did the college for _a while_."

"The lifestyle wasn't working out for you?" He had no idea how right he was. Or maybe he did, given the knowing smirk and info I'd shared earlier.

The campus and classes – rules and demands stifling my freedom – had only lasted for about a year before I got kicked out for skipping too many classes, as well as: " _My overall negative attitude towards the school's valued spirit becoming a problem for my environment and classmates."_ Pfft.

But instead of going back home with my tail between my legs, I'd chosen to stay in the busy city that never slept, with determination and relentless stubbornness getting myself a job at a snobby bar.

Eventually, however, with my parents still breathing down my neck about an education, I presented to them an opportunity to study abroad in England. Something they _happily_ agreed to! As long as I swore to stay out of trouble, of course.

Were the schools better in England? Nope! But it was a _lot_ harder for them to keep track of me there, which was one of my main reason for wanting to go in the first place. The other one was one I _firmly_ kept secret from my family. Thanks to the contacts I'd made during that brief college time, I had gotten a lead on my biological parents; one I was _hellbent_ on following.

Censoring my story to fit the impression I wished to give Damon, I spread out the tales of douchey college personal, snobby wine lovers, and finally opportunities across the vast ocean for him to chew down. In return, I got more of that controlling father, some kind of service within military – but with dodgy details regarding whatever crisis or war Damon had assisted in – as well as a few more hints at a once better relationship with his younger brother. Whatever had broken them apart, however, remained a mystery. For now.

Even if I'd had to offer up some laced truths for him, I felt what I'd gotten in return to be worth it. Now, he knew we had more in common; family issues to go around. Always a start.

"So, what about now?" I asked, finishing my since long now untouched drink to give the bartender a nod. Instantly, he refilled my empty glass.

"Well, both parents are dead and gone." The way he said it, lacking any type of straining to his voice, made me just keep listening; I knew _I_ had quickly grown tired of the endless words of condolences whenever the matter came up. But we had even more in common, then. "With what little is left of the family," Damon's voice turned a bit bitter, "contacts exist, but they are…rare."

"Hm, that's too bad." I shrugged, sipping on the strong alcohol as I sorted the new pieces of info into place amongst all the others I'd picked up during our talk so far. "But don't I know it…" I ignored the sidelong look I got, twirling the glass around with my finger. Then, abruptly, I tilted my head back to finish the entire thing in one gulp, slamming the empty glass down onto the bar with a sharp thud. "Alright, enough chit-chat," I declared, catching his gaze to hold it. "I think you should let Caroline down easy and move on," I instructed, firmly and without a single show of backing down.

"Excuse me?" Damon raised his brows, a little stunned by the rapid turn of tone, but hiding it with an amused look and a chuckle not that far away.

"You heard me." I'd made my voice cold and hard, using it to emphasize my words. "She's young, and nice. And so is Elena. So for your own good, I suggest you _bugger off_ before you do anything to jeopardize that. Because if either of them would be hurt," – I leaned closer, threateningly – "then you would find yourself having to deal with the _not_ so charming side of me."

To his favor, Damon admittedly actually kept his cool quite well. However, I could still clearly see that he really didn't like being threatened by some cocky, young woman; especially judging by the way a muscle in his jaw was twitching. But at least I'd made myself _perfectly_ clear: I wasn't going to tiptoe around and pretend as if I didn't see what he was up to. He wanted some sort of revenge on Stefan, and he was undoubtedly planning on somehow using both Caroline and my sister for it. Frankly, neither was going to happen on my watch.

"Careful, Parker," Damon spoke lowly. "As you might have guessed…" He leaned forward, closer. "I'm not really a nice guy who does what he's told." At the sudden closeness, this time not controlled by me, even in the midst of my cold fury fueling my threats, my _damn_ heart reacted by picking up a quicker beat. If I hadn't been sure of it before, I was without a shadow of a doubt certain that I _definitely_ didn't like this guy, hot or not.

As if Damon had noticed this reaction, and my further fury for it as well, he looked even more smug than what I'd already come to call ' _usual'_ for him. Quickly, he reached to grab a loose thread from my ripped jeans, and as his fingertips gracing my exposed skin had a pulse of electricity shooting through my body. With dangerous precision, Damon ripped out the thread, flashing me a satisfied smirk before drawing back.

At that, my walls around my anger suddenly evaporated to have the emotion fill _every_ inch my body. Without warning, I shot up from my bar stool. As I stroked past him, leaning in so, _so_ close, inches away from his – still, sadly – gorgeous face, I hissed:

"You should remember the same thing about me."

Smugly, I noted the baffled look on his face at this response, but didn't spare it more than a content smirk of my own before I turned around and made my dramatic exit from the bar.


	4. Dress Hunting

As long as I could remember, I'd always hated founding events. Or, actually, _anything_ with any sort of connection to the so called ' _founding families'_ of Mystic Falls. More like ' _leading families'_ really. The whole thing was just a power game. Event after event filled with speeches honoring the Founders and the town's history. Aka: blah, blah, blah! However, the worst part of it all was probably the numerous grown-ups constantly sneaking around, preventing me from _actually_ enjoying myself and having a good time. But I went anyway, because as a Gilbert in this town I bloody well had to.

Which was why I was currently standing in front of the wardrobe in my walk-in-closet, dragging my fingers over my few dresses. I wavered at a dark blue one, closely fitted with broad shoulder-straps, as it was an old favorite of mine. Pulling it out, I held it in front of me to survey my reflection in the tall mirror to the right. _Perfect_. But as I was about to put it back, something caught my eye; a spot of something dark-red – nearly brown – which looked an awful lot like dried blood, on the right strap. On top of that, there were also some bad efforts at sewing a tear back together in the same place.

Right! _Now_ I remembered. My fingers stroking across the mark left from a bullet on the back of my right shoulder, the memory of the pain made me flinch slightly, and I sighed as I viewed my dress once more. I couldn't wear an old bloodstained dress, now could I? When I thought about it, the majority of my dresses had actually been either bloodstained or ripped in some way. Most of them so much that they were beyond saving, which had left me with limited options. Those few remaining, hanging in my closet now, were not fit for a nice event like the Founder's Party; too tight, too little fabric, or just in general too revealing. At least for Carol Lockwood. She would have me escorted off the premises the very second she saw me in one of them. Which, thinking about it, might not be such a bad thing…

 _Now way!_ Elena would _kill_ me. Speaking of which, perhaps _she_ had some dress laying around I could wear. We should be about the same size now, although she might be a little smaller than me.

With that in the back of my head, I grabbed my keys and headed out the door, sending my still falling apart apartment a disregarding look.

* * *

During my brief time back in town, I had come to realize that not having a car _sucked_.

The commute out here in the middle of nowhere was about as nonexistent as it could get, and if I _were_ to take one of the few busses that drove past every other hour, I would end up nearly as far away from the Gilbert house as I where now. This left walking as my sole option.

But the thing about Mystic Falls was that no matter where you were going, you had to go through the woods to get there. When I was a kid, I had thought this to be both scary and a little exciting, but now it was just plain annoying. Especially at night when you could barely see where you stepped. The animal attacks that filled the news didn't exactly make the situation better. But I definitely didn't believe them, not with the knowledge of this town's history and the founding families' methods of covering certain things up. Without a doubt, something fishy was going on around here; another thing for me to add to my list of finding out.

However, I didn't have anymore time to curse at the bad commute or ponder over the media's or the town's cover-ups, since I made a final turn to walk onto the pavement of my childhood street.

Once I'd reached my old house, thankfully with less emotions in my heart than last time, I didn't bother knocking before entering. With the front door closed behind me, I caught the faint sound of Elena and Bonnie getting ready upstairs. Thus, I simply walked right up and into my sister's room to throw myself onto her bed.

"Parks, what are you doing here?" Elena exclaimed in surprise as she spotted me through the mirror over her dresser. She lowered her hand from her ear, leaving a small, sparkling earring twinkling in the afternoon sun that seeped in through an ajar window.

"I need a dress," I declared. "Don't have any and I'm _wayyy_ to lazy to go shopping." I stretched out on my sister's comfortable bed and finished off by flashing her my sweetest smile possible. Bonnie, fiddling with her hair as she fought the brunette for the mirror, rolled her eyes at me before giving up to head for the one in the bathroom instead. Elena tried to hide the small smile that crept onto her face by shaking her head in a supposedly resigned way.

"Fine, I'll see what I have." She moved to start digging through her closet. From my place propped up on my elbows, I saw clothes flying all across the room, until eventually the flow of fabrics stopped and Elena turned around with a black dress held in front of her. It was sleeveless thing with a skirt that seemed to end right above the knee, the area between the chest and up to the neck covered with black lace. "Well?" Elena inquired expectantly.

"Looks fine." I shrugged. "But it might be a little small…"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous!" she exclaimed and threw the dress at me. "You're all muscles! Of course it'll fit. Come on, try it on!"

An encouraging nod later, I slipped into it – making sure to keep my back turned away from her – and had to admit defeat; the dress fit _perfectly_.

"Told you so!" Elena joked from beside me.

"I mean, it's a little tight–" I tried, but received a pillow in the face that efficiently shut me up. The lace also just so happened to nicely cover the mark left from the bullet on my back shoulder, as well as a few other scars that stretched across my back as well; however, this was something I did _not_ point out to my sister.

Instead, her focus turned to my hair, granting it a disapproving look. With a roll of my eyes, I allowed her to boss me around and sat down in a chair she so kindly pointed at. As soon as she began combing through my wavy mess, she faintly began humming, and it was frankly oddly relaxing to listen to. Still, I just had to tease her a little.

"Is this really necessary?"

"Yep." She responded shortly but lightly, tugging through an extra stubborn tangle with some added force.

"Do you really think it looks _that_ bad?" I questioned, not even flinching or grimacing from the pain. Elena was too busy to notice it.

"Yep."

"You're mean," I stated, meeting my sister's gaze in the mirror with a frown, but soon broke into a chuckle. "When did this happen?"

"Right around the time Jeremy started acting like a typical pothead teenager," she informed me matter-of-factly.

"Huh," was my only comment, observing her tight face in the mirror. "And where does our baby bro happen to be now?"

"In his room. Sulking," Elena sighed, reaching for a bobby pin on the dresser.

"Yeah? About what?" I checked. I hadn't yet to reveal myself in person to our brother, but the more I knew beforehand about his changed behavior lately the easier it would be to feel him out.

"Some old heirloom pocket watch Carol wanted for the exhibit tonight, but Jeremy…" She paused with a sigh. "Well, being Jeremy, took it because according to him Dad once said it was supposed to be his and–" She shook her head, tiredly, but I'd caught on to something.

"Is it this golden old thing with Roman numbers?" I checked.

"Yeah…" Elena replied, deeply concentrated with some extra annoying piece of hair. "You know it?"

"You could say that," I mumbled, but had no chance to elaborate since Bonnie returned from the bathroom attached to Elena's bedroom.

"If you two are talking about Jeremy, you should know he isn't in his room anymore," Bonnie reported, smoothing her hair in place.

"You're kidding," Elena let out with a huff, raising her face to the ceiling. "Whatever," she sighed, shaking her head as she returned her attention to mine. "Wherever he decides to sulk during the event tonight…"

"An event Elena has a date to," Bonnie told me as she sat down on the windowsill, screwing off the top of a small bottle of white nail polish in her hand. "Unlike me, who is flying solo."

"Well, _shame_ on you, Elena!" I jokingly accused my sister. "Being happy when there are miserable people present!" The mood from thinking of Jeremy gone, Elena couldn't even hide the smile I already recognized as one being caused by thinking of Stefan. "Well, screw it, Bonnie!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in the air to receive an admonishing look from my sister.

"Hold still," she ordered.

"No!" I retorted, before turning to Bonnie's reflection. "Not that I think you need a date to a party, just for the record. But do you wanna be _mine_ , Bonnie Bennett?" I batted my eyelashes at her, earning a laugh.

"You're a little too old for me, but sure Parker Gilbert. It would be my pleasure."

"Great! Then it's settled," I stated with content.

"You might have a jealous and lonely Jenna on your hands," Elena informed, seeming to be pulling the last pieces of hair and pinning them in place.

"Eh, we'll deal." I waved off.

"There! Done!" Elena declared proudly, taking a step back to admire her work with pride whilst I did my own view of it in the mirror.

She had indeed outdone herself, taming my unruly, wavy shoulder-lengths by sweeping them back on one side into a french-twisty-sorta-thingy. The rest was out and now loosely let curled in the somewhat humid air. I had to admit, it looked damn good.

"Thanks." I stood up, stepping closer to the mirror to turn and watch it more thoroughly from the side.

"No problem." Instantly, Elena took my place. "Now." She fluffed up her hair. "Time to return the favor."

* * *

As I walked up the steps to the Lockwood mansion, I regarded the not so bad-looking half-updo I'd managed to pull Elena's hair into. At first, it had pretty much just wanted to fall apart, but after calling in both Bonnie and Jenna as my assistants, we'd made it work. Those two were for the record flanking my sides, chatting over my head as I surveyed Elena ahead of us, her arm looped with Stefan's and looking as happy as ever.

"Well, look at this place!" Jenna commented with an impressed whistle once we were inside, and I couldn't help but agree.

 _No_ expenses had been spared on the party. Everywhere there were waiters serving people, offering them drinks. Flowers decorated every room I popped my head into, and no matter where one turned people in fancy clothes were parading around with a sparkling drink in hand. Eyeing those glasses with envy, I caught Jenna following them with her gaze as well.

Due to some paper or assignment at school, she'd arrived back at the house late – still just in time to help with Elena's hair – and quickly thrown on her current gorgeous dress and jumped into a pair of uncomfortable-looking heels. As she caught me eyeing her shoes with a frown, she made a snorting remark about my own heels, and we both broke into a chuckle with Bonnie staring on in confusion.

"You guys are weird," Bonnie claimed.

"Oh, you young thing." I patted the dark-haired head gently. "You'll understand better when you get older." Jenna agreed with a laugh.

But speaking of which.

As we headed further into the grand and beautifully decorated mansion, I caught sight of Sheriff Forbes stiffly talking with Caroline, and made a mental note to be on the lookout for Damon.

"Will you guys excuse me for a moment," I directed towards my dates with my eyes set on Liz sighing as her daughter walked away from her with confident steps. "I gotta say hi to an old friend."

Without waiting for a reply, but still catching a faint, "Sure," from somewhere behind me, I slipped through the already thick crowd – still, after all these years and events, surprised at how many people lived in the little town, and how many of them _actually_ showed up to something like this out of their own free will – towards the uniform-clad woman.

"Sup, Liz?" I greeted, a quick nod at her brown eyes widening.

"Well, well," Elizabeth chuckled. "If it isn't little Parker Gilbert." She surveyed me with a frown before rephrasing. "Or, maybe not so little anymore."

"Nope," I confirmed with a small chuckle of my own. "All grown-up and back to paint the town red." She mirrored my smile, though a bit stiffly.

"So, how you've been? All over the world, I've heard," Liz chuckled. Now, it was _my_ smile's turn to grow strained on my lips.

"Oh, you know." I shrugged. "I've been alright." The action made my back strain and ache.

"England was good?" The little time I spent there, I suppose. But depends on what you classified as good; the time there, or the results from it.

"Marvelous," I replied, with feeling. She swallowed the lie whole. "And yourself?"

"Well," Liz sighed. "Things could be better."

"Personally or townwise?" I checked, my eyes sharpened to every little tell in the lines of her face.

"Both," she admitted. "But neither is really none of your concern," she told me with a gentle pat on my bare upper arm. "It's good to have you back. Even with circumstances–"

"That was months ago," I cut her off, more firm than I'd expected. Quickly, I tried to smooth it over. "There's no need to talk of that." No need to bring up the accident I was already sure I'd be hearing of from every person who shook my hand in this place; both to my face and behind my back.

"Sure," the Sheriff acknowledged with a nod. "The important thing is that your back."

"Yeah," I agreed. "All for family." At that, she smiled, but I felt what I was about to say would swing that mood rather drastically. "And–" I lowered my voice. "–back to find out _what_ is painting the town red." Her kind face immediately closed up. Told you so.

"That's nothing you need to concern yourself with," the Sheriff stated firmly.

"Really? 'Cause that's not what it sounded like last time I was home," I reminded. "And since then, the ' _animal attacks'_ ," I mocked, "only seems to have grown in numbers."

"If I remember correctly, you cleared yourself from that involvement pretty firmly," Liz recalled with a narrowing gaze. "To your uncle's great dismay." My jaw tightened. "But he isn't here to vow for your case now. I'm sorry, Parker. It's better if you stay out of it," she made her tone a bit lighter, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "At least for now."

As if I was an incompetent child, I was shunned and shot down by the Sheriff leaving me with a final squeeze of my shoulder. It took a lot to prevent me from squeezing her back. _Hard._

"There you are!" Jenna exclaimed and linked arms with me the moment the uniform was out of sight, ripping me from my daze. "I think I might have seen the Fell," she hissed into my ear, though still smiling as Bonnie joined us.

"The Scumfell?" I felt my brows furrowing, shaking off my previous conversation to direct my anger towards this new figure. "Where? Let me kick his ass."

"Oh, _no_!" Jenna protested, hauling me back in, but barely succeeding in doing so. Noting my strength with surprise, she gawked at me from beneath a creasing frown. I stripped my face from showing any signs of my cursings within for that sloppy mistake.

"Better to not cause a scene," Bonnie put in. Jenna, snapping out of it, agreed with a nod.

"Let's avoid the happy couple and get something to drink," my aunt declared, her head inclined in the opposite direction of Elena and Stefan striding alongside each other, hands connected, and so I allowed her to drag me with her.

Eventually, as the night passed, Jenna grew a bit tired of me and Bonnie and no alcohol, deciding to venture some exploring all by herself in the crowd. Allowing her as much, but with a warning to beware of her former dick of a boyfriend the Scumfell, I stuck by Bonnie's side.

She was a bit shaken up about the numbers and whole witch-thing from the dinner, and had apparently seen those _exact_ numbers after coach and teacher Tanner had been found dead a few nights ago. Was I sad about Tanner? No! The guy was a total dickhead. But also the victim of an animal attack, might I add. As if there weren't any other inventive cover-up stories for them to use…

Since Bonnie was pretty freaked out about it, I kept myself from following Jenna's lead and – after an uninterested stroll through the room with the display of old artifacts and heirlooms from the founding families – sat by her side, patiently listening to the drama that had occurred at the football game with my since long empty glass in hand. Whilst hearing the details of my brother getting into a fight with none other than the Mayor's prick of a son Tyler Lockwood, I couldn't help but note the curious glances thrown my way by the passing crowd.

The Gilbert's oldest daughter, the rebellious and criminal one, _back_ in town? Their murmurs of gossip weren't hard to miss, as discretion was something the people in this town needed to learn a thing or two about.

Finally, after having endured this combination for several hours, I realized there was only so much teenage drama I could take and excused myself to Bonnie to go get a drink containing something a bit stronger than what had been handed to me by a passing waiter earlier, leaving her in a room filled with unlit candles.

Reaching the bar without kicking anyone down for the whispers I caught, I easily recognized the bartender and charmed myself a drink from the easily swayed soul. But as I was _finally_ about to take my first sip and taste that alcoholic goodness, I felt someone approach to stop at my side.

"You know, I had to pay your tab after you stormed out last time," a drawling voice spoke, and with a muted grunt I turned in its direction.

"Oh, yeah? I'm sure it must have hurt your wallet," I snorted sarcastically, grabbing my drink to move away from Damon and his intense eyes. Only, he followed me. "You know, in such a small town word travels fast, and the Salvatore Boarding House and its _massiveness_ isn't really a secret," I directed over my shoulder, halting on the threshold of one of the open glass doors that lead to the equally fancy decorated patio and garden.

"Of course," Damon replied, stopping to lean against the other side of the doorway. With a glance downwards at his feet very much inside, a frown settled on my face. "But it almost sounds like you've been keeping tabs on me." At the amused voice, my gaze snapped up to meet his smirk.

"Dreaming big, huh?" I huffed, but his grin only grew. "Just like you've dreamed yourself a date, I assume." My surveying of the room showed me no blonde or other female heading towards us.

"Oh, I'm here with someone. We can't all be modern and go solo," Damon said with a knowing, undressing smile.

"Who here has been keeping tabs on _who_ , hm?" I shot back, raising a brow. Oh, now I had him; the smirk wavering for a second.

"She's just in the bathroom," Damon collected himself to reply with, a nod in the direction of a fancy decorated corridor across the room; golden garlands strapped against the ceiling leading the way to a sign reading ' _ladies room'_ in cursive.

"Right…" I mumbled, looking back at him as I considered how to best scare the guy away from my sister's friend; a new technique needed after how our last encounter ended. But those musings were stirred away by him still eyeing me, his head slightly tilted to the side. "Did you want something, or…?" I checked, cocking a brow up.

"No," Damon responded easily. "I was just curious."

"About what?" I questioned, my brows now instantly furrowed at the wry, smug smirk growing on his face.

"If Elena told you what happened the night of the football game," Damon spoke, a spark of mischievousness hard to miss.

"What about it?" I interrogated, crossing my arms whilst being sure not to crush or pour out the content of my glass. Whatever threatening abilities I knew I had to put on display, this guy seemed to be immune to every one of them. Instead, Damon merely seemed amused as he shrugged and chuckled slightly.

"I tried to kiss her," he informed. Immediately, I froze, and stared him down.

"You _what_?" My voice was instantly cold and collected, an occurrence always happening whenever I felt anger start to pound through my body and being.

"Relax, it was _before_ you told me to back off." Damon waved off, as if it would make everything better. "No hard feelings."

"Then why are you telling me _now_ , hm?" I checked, keeping back the seething occurring behind my clenched jaws.

Not bothering to provide me with a good answer, Damon only kept watching me with his content smirk. Really, it was answer enough; clearly he found amusement in pissing off the older sister – aka me – to see what she'd do. Well, I certainly _didn't_.

"Was that it?" I pressed, feeling my anger coming out to show itself as I hugged the glass in my hand tighter. "Has your need for attention been fulfilled?" Still, Damon only kept smirking with amusement written as clear as day on his face. The frustration of not getting to him was beginning to eat away at me. "Or do you need some therapeutic advice about you and your brother's flawed relationship? That problematic history that just _keeps_ getting in the way?" I bit off. "For so long now that you can't move on, so you _have_ to keep destroying his life instead."

 _That_ seemed to get to him. The smug smile wavered as he – for but a moment – looked at me in pure astonishment. Then, his eyes darkened.

"Well, aren't you a clever one," Damon stated, his voice fuming with poorly hidden anger. He couldn't have scared me less if he so grew fangs to flash at me, I was too content with _finally_ having hit something. A sore spot revealed for me to focus my energy on.

"I wasn't a psychology major for nothing." I shrugged with a grin. But Damon didn't seem so amused anymore. Now, why did that make me feel better? "The only question is…" I began, moving to circle him a bit where he in return had pushed himself off the doorframe in anger, ultimately stopping to stare; _genuinely_ curious as I spoke, "What happened between you two?"

For a second or two, Damon looked ready to push me out of the house with a growl, but composed himself; the flash of danger in his eyes gone as quickly as it had appeared.

"If you insist on knowing…" Damon muttered, and a new spark in his blue eyes ignited. "A long time ago, there was a girl," he opened with, a small shake of his head as if to claim ' _isn't it always?'_ I couldn't help but agree. "Her name was Katherine, and Stefan and I were both in love with her." At that, his jaw twitched, and I found myself tightening my grip on my drink again out of pure instinct. "She never chose between us, and ultimately Stefan was the one responsible for her death." His bitterness splashed onto my smugness as he spat the last part. And now – it seemed – it was _my_ turn to look at him in surprise; I had _not_ expected those beans to be spilled so easily. But then again, my gut had told me anger was Damon's weakness, and apparently the hunch had been correct. Boy, did I know _that_ feeling.

"I see…" Closely, I surveyed his features whilst weighing my following words. "Well," I began, " _clearly_ I'm not the only one with some troubled history involving my family here." To that, Damon gave me a slight smile, the mood changing quickly, and this time I actually returned it.

"Seems we've both been a bit exposed," Damon stated, then reached out his hand for me. "Truce?" he asked in a charming voice, gazing at me suddenly innocently.

At first, my own gaze narrowed. This was a guy I'd threatened to stay away from my sister and her friend just a few mere days ago, and he had not only refused to do that, but also in a way sent a warning of his own back. And now, he was flirting vigorously, even despite my attempts at evoking a row. But at the same time…

Scouting the room, every member of this petty, godforsaken community tried to outmatch everyone else – and probably Carol Lockwood's decorations as well – with their fancy clothes. It was all so shallow and boring. _Utterly boring!_ So could you blame me for thinking that it was kind of nice and fun to have the opportunity to play around with someone frankly hot and flirt a bit? Even if he was also a dick I'd made sure to watch my step around.

"Truce," I ultimately spoke, and so we shook hands on it; Damon – of course – holding onto my hand a little longer than necessary as he also stepped closer. I gave him a glare to watch it, and received a chuckle in return. Still, the male obeyed, eyeing my drink once I was satisfied with the space between us.

"I'm sure that's delicious..." He nodded at the since long forgotten alcohol in my hand. "But there's champagne outside." How could I pass up on such a thing?

"Then lead the way." I smirked back at him, and he held out his arm for me to take. In honor of this brief truce for him to prove himself to be able to behave, I accepted it – but not without a roll of my eyes, which I made sure he noted.

A few glasses of champagne later, as well as a lot more teasing and flirty exchanges of words, Elena appeared in the doorframe we'd been conversing in not long ago. After surveying the crowd, spotting us just as I was in the middle of a chuckle, she stormed down the stone steps and out onto the cobbled patio with twinkling lights hanging from the overhead marquees, heading right towards us.

"There is something _seriously_ wrong with you," my sister exclaimed, pushing Damon backwards. His recent smile instantly faltered. "You stay away from Caroline or I will go _straight_ to her mother, the Sheriff. You got it? Stay _away_ from her." As soon as he furious speech was done, Elena stormed past him, giving me an angry look on the go mixed with some kind of hurt.

With a sigh, I realized I had to follow her to figure out what the hell that had been about. As I turned from my sister's back heading out from the lights and down towards the lake beyond a green bit of lawn, to Damon, I caught him clenching his jaw and looking over at me. I simply shook my head.

"And here I was _actually_ beginning to like you," I sighed. He avoided my gaze, instead directing it down into the cobbled ground. Where there was a thousand things for me to choose to do or say, I only just walked away. Elena had stood for the angry outburst tonight, I had no energy left to provide the same thing _again_. A first, actually.

Following the path she had taken down a grander stair made of stones, I soon reached her standing in front of Stefan by the side of the pond with a squirting fountain in the middle. Apparently, she was quarreling with him as well.

Just in time, I managed to catch her say, "Trust is earned. I can't just _magically_ hand it over," before Stefan looked up, his gaze stopping on something behind me.

"I'm so sorry. I have to go," he spoke, a hint of guilt in his voice detectable to my ears as I had almost reached them completely. Hastily, Stefan walked past Elena, flashing me a quick but equally apologetic look in the process. _Oh yeah, he_ better _be sorry._

After briefly gazing after him to see him melting together with the shadows the trees on the grounds cast, I turned back to my sister to spot her shoulders start to tremble. The slight quiver in them grew as I walked around to face her, the tears in her eyes becoming visible to me. She bore a look of being beaten, hurt and dejected. No words were needed, she simply shook her head and I embraced her.

But after a moment in that position, when I deemed her trembling to have ceased, I withdrew.

"Hey." As odd as it still felt, I reached a hand to wipe across her damp cheeks. "We should probably find Caroline, okay?" Elena agreed with a nod, and so we began walking over the green grounds with my arm still around her shoulder.

As we looked for the blonde in question, Elena filled me in on how she had seen bruises and bitemarks all over Caroline's body. She also described how confused Caroline had acted. The more she told me, the deeper my frown became. Bite marks? Animal attacks? Strange brothers with deep history? I _hoped_ Elena was just mistaking them for something else, because the list against the Salvatores was just growing and growing.

Soon enough, I spotted a figure standing alone out on one of the green lawns lit from the lamps a level above on the patio adjacent to the grand house, her back turned to us. Immediately, I recognized the blonde hair and the blue dress as the one Caroline had been wearing this evening, even as she was mostly hidden in the shadows. Gently, I stuck my arm into Elena's side and pointed towards her friend, and my sister simply nodded before walking up to the blonde.

Even from my place so far away, I recognized Caroline's stiff posture soon beginning to shake as my sister reached her to place a hand on the blonde's shoulder. As Elena drew her into an embrace, I left them to deal on their own; I didn't think Caroline would have wanted me there anyway.

On my way back towards the house, I met Stefan standing and watching the scene a few steps above in the bricked staircase I was heading up for.

"You promised me you wouldn't hurt her," I reminded him, too tired to get back at him for that; at least right now. With guilt written all over his brooding features, Stefan looked away, kind of like his brother had earlier. I simply sighed and brushed past him.

"I've taken care of Damon," he spoke up behind me, and I stopped. "He won't hurt Caroline again." I cast a glance over my shoulder. Stefan was hesitating, as if trying to find the right words. "Look, I don't know what he said to you–"

"It doesn't matter," I cut off. "He didn't have to say anything, I already know what I'm dealing with," I stated, and suspicion lit within Stefan's green eyes. "I can handle it, and _him_ , on my own."

As I began walking away again, I halted and turned around for one last thing with my sister's heartbroken expression dancing in the back of my mind.

"No matter what happens now or in the future, you should still tell Elena the truth," I spoke, my gaze drifting to the lawn where my sister had stood moments ago, now having moved away with her arm around her sobbing friend. "She doesn't like to be lied to. Believe me, I know." And I was playing a dangerous game with my own lies, maybe even more so than Stefan.

Stefan, who must have noticed how tired I sounded, simply nodded, watching me leave without asking any further questions I was sure raced around his mind.


	5. Renovations

"Where the hell have you been?" Jenna demanded, folding her arms across her chest the very second I opened the door. Seeing her there, on my threshold so early in the morning, had me blinking several times before my brain started functioning.

"How do you know my address?" was the first question that came to mind.

"I went to Liz to have her dig it out for me," Jenna explained, pushing past me and into the apartment without waiting for an invite. "Imagine my surprise when I found out she already knew and had been here, when you never even told me the name of the street." Once past the kitchenette and in the middle of the living room slash bedroom, Jenna stopped to have a look around. "Okay, it looks nice," she admitted with reluctance. And, clearly, she already knew who to thank for that.

During this recent absence from the drama that was my sister's love life, Bonnie's witchy woo-woo, and whatever the hell Damon and Stefan were up to, I'd chosen to try to butter up Liz once more. Getting my foot into the Council of theirs – one the founding families of Mystic Falls had created when the town way back when had begun experiencing unexplainable attacks – had been the main thing on my agenda, and to achieve that I'd once again approached Liz, this time asking for her help in fixing up my dump of an apartment.

As floorboards were replaced, wallpapers ripped down, walls spackled and painted, new kitchen cabinets put in place and a repaint of the walk-in-closet was made, I cautiously tried prying every little piece of info I could get of the Sheriff. By the time we were finished – several days of hard work during which she had to take numerous calls with a serious face, only sparking my curiosity more – I could admire the apartment, and mostly so the frankly gorgeous, baby-blue walk-in-closet, with pride as Liz did the same from my side.

By then, the Sheriff had warmed up to me a bit, so much so that she'd confirmed the Council did indeed still exist, that I was better off not on it, but that what the future held was unclear. Meaning, if more attacks happened and I kept up my perseverance, that foot I had inside the Council by birthright might be enough to let me in fully.

"But, either way, renovating this place couldn't have kept you from picking up your damn phone!" Jenna insisted, seating herself on the arm of a recently acquired second-hand couch.

"Hey! I did pick up my phone," I stated, closing the front door – completely disregarding my bathroom opposite from it, a lost cause Liz had told me only a professional should take a look at – and moved to grab my cup of coffee from the counter of the U-shaped kitchenette, its steaming receding in strength as the warmth began to leave it. "Forgive me if talks of douchy ex-boyfriends started to tire me," I huffed, taking a sip from the nearly burning beverage.

"Well," Jenna sighed, slumping back to land on her back in the couch, legs draped over the side. "That's not gonna be a problem anymore."

"How come?" I asked, frowning as I moved closer and took a seat in one of the matching armchairs next to the sofa.

"Logan bailed. Probably. I mean, I don't know since he won't answer my calls, but it's most likely." She shrugged, exhaling deeply. "I can't believe I let myself get roped into that again."

"Me neither," I muttered, taking another sip from the cup in my hand. Several dinners and meet-ups had been made between my aunt and the Scumfell, and that in itself was enough to keep me away from the house. "He's a cheating dick, Jenna. Say the word and I'll find him and kick his ass."

"Thank you," Jenna chuckled from her place in the couch, turning her face to look at me. "But I'm good, really. I think it's actually Elena who needs to hear those type of things."

"Oh, I'll get around to kick Stefan's ass too. Trust me," I assured. From what little Jenna knew and Elena had informed me off in short texts or quick phone calls, that whole business wasn't going too great either lately. My sister had claimed Stefan to be acting weird, but since then she had also adopted the same behavior, and I couldn't help but wonder what she'd found out…

"Anyway!" Jenna let out suddenly, and I snapped out of my thoughts with an automatic faint smile on my lips as she rolled off the couch and stood up to face me fully. "It's about time you see your brother," she stated, and my smile faded. "I'm done making up excuses to why you two have yet to meet since you came back. He's a real stubborn little one when it comes to knowing that."

"I know," I noted with a sigh. "I will, I will. It's just…" I shook my head, but Jenna waited patiently for me to go on. "He was 11 when I left, Jenna. I know I visited some since then, but he barely knows me and the little he does has changed. We've _both_ changed. I don't know if I'm ready to meet a moody, teenage pothead when I still see him as a nerdy little kid with no front teeth."

"I see what you mean," Jenna acknowledged, crouching down in front of me with a gentle hand on my knee. "Age difference and time passing can be difficult. But Elena was only 13 when you first went off to college, there doesn't seem to be any problem there."

"That's because we stayed in touch, like you and I," I pointed out. All of it thanks to my mom's insistent letters and phone calls whenever I had access to answer such. She'd been the main force in keeping my relations to my sister intact, whilst Jeremy had been more skeptic to his older sister always gone and so rarely visiting.

"Still." Jenna squeezed my knee faintly. "Avoiding it will do no good, you know that."

"Yeah, yeah," I admitted with a sigh and roll of my eyes. "I will. Okay? Soon."

"Very soon," Jenna countered with, and I chuckling agreed as she stood to leave. "I'll be monitoring," she declared.

"I bet you just want someone to help you out with how to deal with his teenage mood swings," I claimed once she was halfway to the door.

"Maybe a little guilty," Jenna threw over her shoulder with a smile. "But it's also necessary for the both of you."

"I know," I sighed once more. "I know."

* * *

But did I follow my aunt's advice and make contact with my brother so soon after her appearance at my apartment? Nope. Instead, I didn't get around to do it until I, one day, ran into Matt at the grocery store.

Once we were done with exchanging pleasantries next to the vegetable aisle, he let slip about a Halloween party at the high school later that night. Since the guy seemed awfully gloom – probably something to do with his sister Vicki being off the rails again – I felt a bit bad for him, and found myself not able to say no once he'd suggested I go to the party along with him.

 _Me!_ Unable to say no! I was shocked! And ever more so that I agreed to got to my old high school; _literally_ hell made physical on Earth. But with the knowledge of an absent mom and an older sister with a drug problem, in combination with those puppy dog eyes of his, the word fought me. In Matt's eyes, that meant close to a maybe, enough for him to hug me and say he hoped to see me there.

Thus, I either had to get a costume or figure out an excuse to not go. Both I believed I could find at my sister's.

However, once I'd dug out the house key from the earth of a green plant next to the front door, I found the house to be empty of her. Or anyone, for that matter. So, I made myself at home in the kitchen, rummaging through their fridge, coming up empty-handed, before I simply sat down at the table with today's paper at my fingertips.

More of animal attacks stood mentioned on practically every page, and apparently there had been a major one a week or two back. That this was _still_ everywhere in the news should give one an idea of how boring this little town really was.

But as I was flipping through a reportage about a car wash at the high school raising money after Tanner's untimely death, the front door opened and a tall figure dressed in black came sauntering into the hall.

"Hey!" I called as the figure headed up the stairs, and a moment later a teenage boy stuck his head out from halfway up the staircase, before cautiously returning back down.

The scrawny-looking teenager who approached me through the narrow hallway, dressed in black from head to toe, and pulled his equally black headphones from his ears was none other than my baby brother: Jeremy.

"Parker?" he asked, just as stunned to see me – strong posture, head confidently held high and shorter hair – as I was to see him with all his teeth grown in. Regardless of his rapid growth and the cute, trusting eyes of a kid being replaced by the cautious, judging ones of a teenager, I readied myself as I stood up and walked around the table to meet him.

"That's right, Bean-Head," I stated, daring a grin. Instantly, he rolled his eyes, recalling how he'd gotten that horrible nickname.

It had all happened when Jer was practically a toddler, and I myself not that old, during a seemingly regular dinner one night. As I, a reluctant preadolescence forced to help out with dinner, had placed bowl of beans on the edge of the kitchen counter, my brother proudly walking around the kitchen to show off how good he was at his new skill had dumped right into the side of the counter to have the bowl wiggle off and sail down to land right on his head. When my mom drove him to the emergency room – since my dad-the-doctor hadn't been home to check on him instead – the nurse at the desk asked had what had happened, and in that moment I'd yelled out, and I quote, " _He got beans in his head!"_ , and so the nickname was born.

One thing that hadn't changed was his appreciation for my humor, it seemed. But, as a change, it was _I_ who initiated the hug I forcefully pulled us into. However, to both my great surprise and relief, Jeremy hugged me back tightly.

"You're back." He stated the obvious into my hair. So typical. Sometimes Bean-Head actually felt more like a reference to his intelligence.

"Yeah." I let out a small laugh and ruffled his hair, which for the record hung in front of his eyes in an unattractive style. "It was about time I came to see you," I said as we withdrew. "I missed you." He still seemed cautious, and I knew why. I felt that same cautiousness too around him now, even though I tried to play it down.

Things had changed, so much. And out of everyone in our family Jeremy was the one who was the most slow when it came to adapting to such. That was why writing to me instead of talking had been so hard, and why Mom and Dad's death had hit him harder than what I believed I grasped. The bad conscience for leaving, and for not returning when it mattered, showed itself as a bite to my insides, but I pushed the sensation aside firmly.

One thing that hadn't and would not change was the fact that I – just like when he'd been in his period of constantly making sex jokes he'd heard from the other idiotic boys at his school as a kid – refused to say anything but exactly what I thought of his immensely dumb doings.

"I heard you're doing drugs," I spoke, crossing my arms in front of my chest as I firmly stared him down. He looked, not so surprisingly, _shocked_ at that blunt putting. "I don't like it," I added. Jeremy mirrored my action, adding a defiant look.

"So? What are you gonna do about it?" _Oh!_ My brother had gotten himself a cocky attitude as well! Honestly, I was kind of a little bit proud about that. Good change.

"Nothing," I stated after a moment of meeting that defiant gaze of his, merely shrugging. Instantly, Jeremy switched his scowl for a questioning look.

"What? So, you're not gonna try and stop me or anything?" he checked, doubtfully.

"Why would I do that, Jer? I doesn't matter what I say. You're still gonna continue screwing up until something makes you realize that drugs are never the way out." I only felt _slightly_ hypocritical with my love for alcohol ringing in the back of my mind. "And when you do–" I poked my finger into his chest to really empathize my words. "–I'll be _right_ here for you." I took a step back, flaring my arms out a bit. "But until then, I'm not gonna do anything." He looked at me, both surprised and confused, until…

"Whatever." Jeremy shrugged, leaving me and the kitchen the same way he'd come, typing away on his phone.

 _Well. I'd say that went pretty good._ And I didn't even touch the whole Vicki subject Elena and Jenna had filled me in on as well.

Just a nice little reunion.

From upstairs, his door was slammed shut, hard enough to rattle the pictures against the walls around the room.

Or, well, it was a work in progress.

Sitting back down with a sigh, I didn't have to rub my temples for much longer before Elena came home.

Her worked up state was obvious from the moment she sat her foot inside the house, but when I asked her about it she merely shrugged and mumbled something about how it was complicated. Like I said, _weird behavior_. Just like Stefan's.

Sadly for me, my sister couldn't offer me a good excuse to get out of going to the event that night, instead waving me towards a nurse costume she'd worn to the same party last year. I took one look at it, scrunched my nose, and went to try and throw together something more appealing from the rest of her closet.

Gathering an outfit from the black clothing she owned, I kept my own black, high-waisted jeans on, adding a nice, black, long-sleeved top with a boat neck from Elena. Combining this with using water and gel to slick back the roots of my hair, I added a pair of cat ears to _actually_ turn the outfit into a costume, finishing off everything with my favorite, beloved, old black boots. And voilà! You might have been able to take me for Catwoman! Or something. Whatever. It was a high school Halloween party! Who the hell cared if my costume was believable or not.

Not able to help herself, even in her stress, Elena forced some eyeliner onto my eyelids, enhancing the cat look. Once she finished, I said, jokingly:

"You know what? I should have dressed up as a vampire instead! _Much_ easier to put together." Elena, regarding her work with the her forehead creased in concentration, instantly bolted upright – just avoiding to screw up the line she'd drawn along my eye – with a horrified expression on her face. I took careful note to it.

As if it had suddenly hit her, she looked at me with her brown eyes gaping. "You're going to the party at school?"

"Well, duh!" I answered and dragged my hand over my now straight, slicked back, dark hair. The smooth sensation was unfamiliar, since my usual waves mostly flew wherever they so pleased, refusing to be tamed. "What did you think I needed a costume for?" Elena didn't answer, she just kept staring at me with her mouth hanging open, struggling for words.

"But… _Why_? It's a high school thing, you hate those!" Her voice was nearly hysterical.

"Elena, calm down!" I shot right back at her near hysteria. "What is going on?" As she only shook her head, I sighed and answered her question. "Yeah, I do hate them, but Matt asked me. Sounded like he could use some company…" Turning away from my sister and her horrified face to the mirror behind me, I applied some dark lipstick onto my lips. Whilst doing so, my eye caught the picture stuck to a corner of the mirror.

It was a photo showing my mom hugging Elena and Jeremy, my dad and I surrounding the group with our arms spread wide and chins placed on either Mom's head or her arm. It was taken from above, and we all stood there, smiling in a happy little circle. Actually, I remembered that occasion quite well, and how long we had struggled to get that care-free image since both of my parents had been pretty angry at me after having picked me up at the station only a few hours earlier.

"Matt's going too?" my sister exclaimed, nearly dropping the eyeliner.

"Yes," I replied and sat the lipstick down, eyeing her in the mirror with a frown. " _Seriously_ , Elena. What's going on?" She avoided my questioning gaze in the mirror, so I turned around and looked at her directly instead. Squirming, she moved towards the bathroom, but I shot up and blocked her path with my arm, pinning her to the spot with a stern look. "Elena…?" I pushed.

"It's nothing!" she assured, a nervous trembling to her voice. I only crossed my arms, and finally she released a shaky sigh.

"I've got it covered, okay?" She tried to move around me.

"No." I sidestepped her. "Not okay."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you!" Elena exclaimed, frustration permeating her voice.

"Try me." I firmly stood my ground and continued to stare her down.

For a brief moment, it seemed as if she was about to give in and tell me. However, the moment was gone when we both heard the front door close with a bang downstairs; my sister flinching by the sound, whilst I didn't even move a muscle. Instantly, Elena ran towards the window as I went through the adjacent bathroom that also connected to Jeremy's room, a suspicion already forming.

"Jeremy just..." Elena's panting words faded as she saw me stand and look into his empty bedroom.

"He bailed," I declared and turned away from the unmade bed.

"He must have gone to the party. Oh, no…" Elena shook her head, backing away to begin pacing around. Then, suddenly, she lunged for her phone on her nightstand. Now I was _seriously_ worried.

"Elena–" I tried, for like the millionth time.

"He can't see Vicki! Okay?" my sister blurted out, looking at me with pleading eyes. "Please, Parks. Just… Just trust me on this one." She squeezed her phone between her palms, her knuckles nearly white by the action, as if she was begging me. A little reluctantly, I nodded.

"Fine. But just this _once_! And I want an explanation later," I told her, strictly.

"Yes! Of course." Elena instantly began typing in a number and left the room to make a call, whilst my mind quickly went through the situation and its aspects.

Where would Jer go to – undoubtedly – meet Vicki? Off the top of my head, one certain place came to mind. What better suited location existed than one dark and filled with a crowd of drunk teenagers for the night?

"He's at the school," I stated as soon as Elena returned, instantly brushing past her to hurry down the stairs. Quickly, I heard her follow.


	6. The Way That I Am

The music was vibrating around the school, audible even from the parking lot, and everywhere people dressed in _ridiculous_ costumes were running around squealing. Meaning, not much had changed since my time here. Well, except for the fashion trends.

"Always a town thing," I muttered as we passed a group of small kids undoubtedly dressed up as clique from some recent movie, their parents not too far away, gathered around a car to monitor with hawk-eyes.

"Community is important," Elena spoke, and I heard Mom's words echo in her voice even before my sister threw a sad smile over her shoulder to acknowledge the intentional recalling of the memory.

"Right. Always," I mumbled as we ducked inside the school, where the crowd was mainly dominated by teens with a drink in hand.

Not even two steps in, and some guy tried to grab my ass, only for his wrist to be seized by my hand and twisted around before I even thought twice about it.

"Parker!" my sister called from ahead of me, and I released the groaning guy with a shove, trying to shield the view of his broken wrist from her. "Not tonight. We've got bigger problems," was all she said, so clearly I'd blocked the sight well. As I moved to follow her, the guy and his friends raised their voices with angry protests after us, but I merely turned to give them a cold look and clench my hand into a fist, having them shut up instantly.

I'd barely even caught up to Elena's side when we were halted again, this time by Matt stepping into the way with a costume to match my sister's nurse one.

"You went with last year's costume too." He smiled at Elena, and I rolled my eyes. Matt was very cute, but why he kept torturing himself with those longing looks after they'd broken up was beyond me.

"Yeah, I didn't know I was coming till, like, half an hour ago," Elena said politely, but also gazed past Matt to try to spot our brother in the crowd further inside. At her nice ways and total indescretion at hiding her emotions, I could only roll my eyes again; seemed like a regular theme for the night.

"You look great too, Parks!" Matt added as he turned to me. "Glad you came."

"Thanks. I know." I flashed him a quick smile before getting straight to the point. "Have you seen Jer or Vicki?"

"Yeah, Vicki's here," Matt informed. "You can't miss her. She's a vampire." Elena's gaze immediately snapped back to Matt, as she almost seemed to start hyperventilating. JEEZ, she was unsmooth today! She grabbed my arm, her nails digging into my flesh.

"We need to find Jeremy! _Now!_ " My sister practically shook, squeezing my arm tighter.

"Elena, what's the matter?" Matt inquired, his brows furrowed in confusion. I couldn't blame the poor guy, Elena's behavior was both clumsy _and_ alarming.

"We gotta find him!" She dragged me with her, and I shrugged at the still confused Matt.

"You look good too, Kennedy!" I yelled at him and winked as I was hauled away. At least I saw a smile appear on his face before I was jerked around a corner. There, Elena finally released her tight hold of me, leaving a phantom mark of her hand on my skin. She was a lot stronger than she looked, actually, but who was I to judge such.

"Let's split up," my sister suggested, but it was more of a declaration as she had dived into the crowd and was gone before I'd even had a chance to open my mouth.

Without any other choice, I began pushing my way through the crowd as well. The flickering lights made it nearly impossible to see who was really under the costumes; so how the hell was I supposed to find Jeremy in these crowded hallways? As I moved through them, I couldn't help but pay attention to the decorations.

Efforts of scary ornament had been hung up or put on display on every locker or at every corner. Spiderweb was hanging down from the ceiling; mannequins dressed up as monsters placed a little here and there; neon lights illuminating everything to give it an eerie glow, _especially_ the white clothing.

 _That_ was how I spotted Elena again – her white nurse outfit a stark contrast to all the darker costumes as it glowed brightly in the dark – making her way through the crowd by snatching down hoodies in an effort to find Jeremy.

Attempting to follow my sister under the flickering lights, I was momentarily distracted by a dude who laid on a table I passed, his chest used as a plate for snacks, which made it look like the people around him were eating his intestines. Stopping for a second to regard the odd sight, the guy smiled at me, inviting me to join them, but I only shrugged, made a disgusted noise and moved on.

Concentrating on this, however, made me lose sight of Elena. But, instead, I hit the jackpot and saw _Stefan_ – of all people – quickly make his way through the crowd and towards a door the other end of the hallway. Just as fastly, I followed him by elbowing my way towards it as well, diving after him and through it before it slammed shut, only to find myself in the parking lot for the school's yellow busses.

"Go, get inside! GO!" Stefan yelled from somewhere ahead, but not to me.

Further up ahead, Elena grabbed Jeremy and began dragging him with her towards me, a hand placed at her side where her white costume revealed something red. _Blood._ Immediately, I saw the fear in their eyes, but I didn't have to wonder the cause of it for very much longer, since Vicky suddenly appeared from out of nowhere and pushed Jeremy.

He fell backwards, knocking over a barrel filled with wooden planks in the process, as Vicki instantly moved to grab my sister, her fangs coming out before she bit into Elena's neck and evoked a loud scream of fear and pain.

If the sight of those fangs or my brother knocked over hadn't been enough to set me in motion, that heartbreaking shout from my sister snapped a deep instinct within me and had me in motion.

Grabbing one of those scattered wooden planks – catching Stefan move towards us from the corner of my eye, but somehow, believe it or not, being faster than him – I drew Vicki away from my sister and jagged it into Vicki's back without a second thought, piercing it through her heart.

Gasping, she slowly gazed down at the sharp piece of wood sticking out from her chest, whimpering as her eyes found mine to look into them with fear and shock. Whatever compassion she'd hoped to find in her last moments as her skin began to turn grey, veins popping all over her body, was lost as I only gazed back with an empty glare, without remorse. The bitch had just tried to kill my sister, there was no forgiveness for that.

"Vicki! VICKI!" I heard my brother scream repeatedly somewhere behind me, and glancing over my shoulder revealed Stefan holding him back as he – sobbing loudly – tried to make his way over to the girl in my arms. But Vicki's skin had already fully turned grey, and she fell to the ground with a thud once I'd ripped the stake out of her.

Instantly, Elena moved from where she'd stood gaping – one hand at her bloody side and one at the wound on her neck – and grabbed Jeremy to hold him tightly. As they stood so, clinging onto each other for dear life, I looked at them both and their wild and equally shocked expressions thoroughly.

Jeremy; who seemed as if his whole world had just been torn apart in front of him. Elena; who gazed at me as if I was a stranger and a monster to match the one who laid dead at my feet.

But no matter the pain, I still didn't regret it; anyone who tried to hurt my family would suffer the consequences.

"Get him out of here," Stefan told Elena with a nod at the whimpering Jeremy, as I refused to turn away my gaze from either of my siblings.

After a moment of hesitation, Elena started dragging Jer with her, backwards and away from the scene. _Away from me._ When they had disappeared through the door that lead back into the building, I finally turned to Stefan.

"You know," he only stated. I nodded. "For how long?"

"Long enough." I spoke coolly.

The memory of my first encounter with a vampire resurfaced.

A dark bar, late at night. A drunk man had jumped me. The closest weapon had been a wooden spoon, which I'd grabbed without thinking – in the middle of panicking at his growls – and shoved into his chest. My aim was already good back then, and as he died before my horrified eyes, his skin turning grey and his face frozen, his fangs were still out for me to see, gleaming in the bad lightning from behind the bar with _my_ blood shimmering on them.

It was in _that_ very moment I had realized that there were things in this world logic couldn't explain. Stories I'd heard whispered amongst my parents and their friends were true. Crazy theories my uncle had presented me with not any scary tales for bedtime, but very real. So, I decided that I would find out everything I possibly could about them, and more. Which was exactly what I did.

Letting out a sigh, Stefan turned his gaze towards the door, his worry for Elena written all over his face. It was so utterly, utterly clear: he truly cared for her. And even though he was a bloodsucking vampire and as much of a monster as the rest of them – and me – I still spoke:

"Go." I told him; a little reluctance remaining, but hidden well. "She needs you more than me right now." Surveying my face for a moment, Stefan finally nodded respectfully and walked towards the door, but stopped with his hand resting on the handle.

"I'll send someone to clean this up," he turned to direct over his shoulder, but had gone inside before I could come with a dismissive protest.

It wasn't necessary, really. I already knew how to dispose of a body.

Gazing down at Vicki, this time an emotion actually stirred within me. Even though I'd never really liked her, I had still known her. More importantly, she had mattered to those who I cared about. That always made this bit harder; and maybe Stefan had known that.

Not many moments had passed when I heard someone approach me. I didn't even have to turn to know who it was.

"Great," I muttered as Damon stopped a few feet to my right. "He sent _you_."

"Rough night?" he spoke easily, tilting his head to the side to watch me. I just stared back at him, a dark, vile rage gushing through my body. I clenched my jaw in an attempt to keep some control over it.

"You don't know the half of it."

"Nice aim," he only commented after a viewing the body. Somehow, Damon's easy attitude towards all this was a hundred time worse than my siblings horrified reactions had been, setting my blood boiling.

"I don't need your help," I grunted. In turn, Damon raised a questioning brow.

"Oh, really? You know what, that doesn't matter. Stefan called me." He pointed down at Vicki. "My mess, I'll clean it up," he stated. I frowned.

" _You_ did this?" He didn't even seem remorseful, just shrugging dismissively.

"Yes, I turned her. But it doesn't matter. However, what _does_ is how you knew how to kill her," Damon teased, suddenly eyeing me with a newfound curiosity.

"That's none of your business," I spat. As much as I didn't want to leave, because it felt as if I would prove myself weaker than him by doing so – unable to take care of the situation on my own, which was far from the truth – I still felt an extreme tiredness creep into my bones, and I also needed to check on Jeremy and Elena. As if Damon had read my mind, he simply nodded.

"I think we better continue this conversation some other time. You should really go." He stared at me intensely, and a small part of me, buried deep inside, wanted to recoil by that look. But I refused to. Instead, I looked down at the grey corpse that had once been Vicki Donovan one last time, letting go of any little scrap of remorse I might have had left after my action.

"This isn't over," I claimed darkly and glared back up at him.

"Oh, I know. But to be continued… I look forward to it," Damon smirked.

Stiffly, I turned and left without a look back, even though every fiber of my body wanted to take out all of my anger on him and beat him into a bloody mess of bones. It was good thing that I didn't; starting a fight with a vampire was never smart without any weapons or backup or tricks up one's sleeve to help even the odds.

* * *

As I reached the parking lot located at the front of the high school, I spotted Stefan patiently waiting for me in the mess of still happily, partying teenagers.

"Are Jeremy and Elena–" I began.

"They drove home." Stefan eyed me cautiously. I had a hunch my anger was showing more than I wanted it to.

"Good." I nodded.

He moved to reply, but hesitated. "The fastest way there is, uh–"

"I know." I shrugged, once again damning myself for not owning a darn car. "Just get it over with."

Two arms grabbed me, and a strong rush of air later left me standing in front of my old house.

"Parker, about all this–" Stefan began as he released his grip on me.

"Relax, Stef." I waved off, too tired to have this kind of conversation right now. "I don't blame you for keeping the vampirism a secret. But I'm not so fond of the danger you're causing Elena either." He remained silent. "However," I continued. "I'm not gonna tell my sister who she can or cannot date. That's entirely up to _her_." Stefan nodded; as if agreeing and acknowledging what I was saying.

As if having been given a signal, Elena exited the house. The second she spotted me she stopped dead in her step, gawking. Not bearing to stick around and keep witnessing the hurt and confusion woven into her gaze, I brushed past her to enter the house, leaving her alone with Stefan.

Up the stairs and towards my brother's room I went, halting at the closed door for a breath.

If that previous look was one I would have to face from Elena from now one, then what kind of torture would I experience from my baby brother?

Inching the door open, quietly, I peeked a look inside the dark room, spotting Jeremy curled up on the bed with his arms tightly hugging his knees. Even in the dark, the sole light sneaking into the room what was cast from the room behind me, I saw his shoulders tremble. Heard the sobs.

My back hit the wall silently as my nails dug into my palms, lips pressed together into a thin line. A shaky gasp of breath was heard from inside the room, and I pinned my eyes shut to it. Tried to keep the sound from inching any further into my thawing heart.

With my fists curled into stones, using every ounce of my self-control to prevent myself from hitting a hole in the wall beside me, the faint sound of approaching footsteps caught my attention.

When I opened my eyes, Damon had just reached the top step of the staircase and stopped to watch me. Silently, I turned to close the door to Jer's room, before facing the blue eyes again.

"What do you want?" I questioned. That he'd been invited into this house and could come and go as he pleased around my vulnerable family – that he was a creature who _needed_ to be invited in – was the last thing on my mind right now. I had way more things that spun my head.

"Your sister asked me to make Jeremy forget about tonight. About Vicki being a vampire," Damon spoke after another moment of just watching my features, as if reading something in the lines of my face I tried to keep buried very, very deep within. "To take away his pain." The words made me halt, made my whole body and mind turn still.

Elena. Elena wanted Jeremy to forget Vicki. To make him whole, erase this night and its horrificness from his mind.

I was at a loss of snippy retorts to tell the dark-haired male in front of me, too exhausted after this long night and all its revelations to really think. To even be upset at my sister for suggesting such a thing as tampering with someone's mind without their permission. So I simply said the only thing that came to mind, too tired to look it over and analyze it beforehand.

"Why are you telling _me_?"

Completely still, Damon intensely looked at me where I stood leaning against the wall – my sobbing brother who might be about to have his world change for the second time tonight a mere wall away.

"Because I don't do as Elena says," Damon said. _That_ got my mind sparked, and I straightened. "This is _your_ decision, too," he stated, eyes darting back and forth between mine. I met his stare head-on, not wavering from it for a second. He really meant that; would back away and leave my brother as he was if I so decided it, no matter if it went against my sister's wishes or not. No matter how much my brother might hurt from his memories; of Vicki; and of _me._

"Do it," I spoke. Damon watched me for another second, then nodded, and went inside.

I didn't want to hear whatever he'd say, even if I probably should make sure it was true to the instructions my sister had given, but I just couldn't. So instead, I pushed myself off the wall and headed downstairs with my heels pattering against the steps, bursting outside through the front door with no intent of stopping.

Except my sister called out my name from behind, and my legs obeyed her will and halted.

"Where are you going?" Elena asked as she neared me, and slowly I turned back around to face her small figure, a blanket draped across her shoulders, as she headed towards me.

"I was…" I began, but didn't know how to go on. Where _was_ I going, really? A very good question.

"Stay," she said. "Don't leave, not this time. It's time you stopped running to _see_ what you've done. What your actions does. So stay." There was – to my surprise – no hostility to her words, only a will as clear as day.

I could just stare at her. My sister. Standing before me in her nurse costume, now bloody and ripped, with her arms crossed firmly over her chest. Her eyes piercing me to the spot.

Slowly, I nodded. "Okay. I'll stay."

"Good," Elena stated. Then, hesitating for a second with her gaze drifting back towards the house, she took a step forward and pulled me into a quick hug. "I don't forgive you," she whispered next to my ear. "I can't. At least not yet. But I _do_ understand why you did what you did." She pulled away, still holding onto my arms. "Vicki was going to hurt us."

" _Kill_ you," I corrected, firmly. "She was going to _kill_ you, Elena." My sister let out a deep sigh.

"What a mess," she shook her head. "I don't know when, or _if_ we'll ever recover from it," she said, and her words made my heart sink a bit. "But no matter what," Elena went on. "You're still my sister. Always."

In that moment, Damon emerged from inside the house and stepped onto the porch. Elena and I were both pulled out of our moment, and I quickly and silently cleared my throat from the reaction her declaration had created.

"It's done," Damon declared.

Instantly, Elena gave me one last look – which wasn't as heartbreaking as her previous one tonight had been – then went passed him and into the house without a word, granting Stefan still seated on the other side of the porch a quick glance. As I went to follow her, however, I briefly stopped in front of Damon.

"Thank you," I told him, and it took a lot to muster that up. It wasn't for what he'd done, mainly – since my feelings towards taking away Jeremy's pain like this were mixed – but because he'd asked me. Because he'd proven my image of him slightly wrong by inquiring about my opinion in something he could so easily have done blindly without a second thought. It meant a lot, and I made sure he knew it when I looked into his eyes then.

As he gazed back, eyeing my face as if he was taking in every inch of it, I couldn't help but feel he saw that. Finally, he simply nodded in response.

Leaving him and Stefan out there on the porch, I switched out the two brothers for my own two siblings. Just as I walked up the stairs and saw Elena and Jeremy sitting together on his bed, as Jer's gaze drifted from my sister to over her shoulder and onto me, I noticed the change.

His eyes seemed brighter, more innocent. As if nothing at all had happened to taint them. Taint him.

Despite this, as the night prolonged and we spent every moment of it on Jeremy's bed with his laptop and chips and just our mouths gabbing away for the first time in what felt like forever, Elena's eyes were still reddish around the edges and her makeup a bit mushy in the same area. However, I didn't comment on either that or any of the possible causes, most likely in the form of a certain familiar guy.

Instead, I tried to remain calm in those moments of just hanging out like any normal sister would with her younger siblings. Even with the day haunting Elena's eyes, and the absence of that same look from Jeremy's bothering my mind. But still, I couldn't help but wonder as my brother – as joking and happy as ever – imitated the detective we watched by creating a deep frown and blowing up his cheeks to look utterly ridiculous; what _exactly_ had Damon told him?


	7. Interrupted Sleep And Douchebags

Waking up in my childhood home felt strange. Which wasn't that odd, really, considering the countless nights I'd spent alone in my apartment up until now. But it was nice. For about a split second. Then I remembered that sharing a bed isn't always so fun, and that the walls in this house were very, _very_ thin.

I woke up by Elena not only turning in her sleep, but in the process of this _pushing_ me out of the bed. All whilst Jenna turned on the coffee machine downstairs. Lovely.

There was really no use in trying to go back to sleep after that, so instead I got off the floor – cursing silently at my sister's calm face pressed into her pillow – and headed downstairs to keep Jenna company.

"Look who's up," Jenna said over her shoulder as I walked into the kitchen, tugging down a sweatshirt over my head that I'd stolen off Elena's floor. "And look who's here!" my aunt went on to exclaim as she noticed it was _me_ , clearly having believed I was Jeremy or Elena. She leaned the small of her back against the kitchen counter and smiled at me over her big cup of coffee.

"Morning," I merely grunted and slumped down at the table with a thud.

"Still not a morning person, ey?" Jenna laughed and handed me her cup. I looked down at it, up at her, then shrugged and took it. "That's the spirit!" she cheered. The coffee tasted pretty bitter, but anything to wake me up.

"I guess that morning run is out of the question then." I yawned and stretched out my body, before finishing the coffee in one big gulp and forcing myself over to Jenna by the machine. Giving her a look, she refilled my cup whilst I started digging through the content of their refrigerator.

"Since when do _you_ run?" Jenna didn't do much to try to hide her skepticism. "And in the mornings!"

"I'll have you know that it takes effort to keep this body looking good," I answered her with my head still stuck in the fridge as I patted my stomach. Something colorful caught my eye, stuffed in the very back, and I dug it out. It looked extremely unhealthy.

"I can see that," Jenna remarked, raising an eyebrow and eyeing me over her very own cup of coffee. Jumping up onto the counter with ease, I opened the colorful thing; it seemed to be some sort of candy or energy bar. "I have _NO_ idea how long that has been in there," Jenna informed me with a nod towards the fridge. Regardless, I shrugged and took a bite from it. "Suit yourself!"

One more of those candybar-things in my stomach, and I was ready to face the day.

"Wanna help me drag the teenagers out of bed?" Jenna offered, with the charming smile of a scamming seller.

"I think I'll pass on that _extremely_ tempting offer…" I answered and slid down from my place on the counter, eyeing my escape path towards the front door. But Jenna was faster.

"You know what! I'll let them sleep," she said and looped her arm in mine. "They were up late partying last night, they deserve the extra hours." If only she knew how much and why they needed them. "How about you and I grab some lunch instead?" I threw a look over Jenna's shoulder, spotting her laptop that laid untouched on the dining table.

"Jenna Summers!" I gasped with played shock. "Are you skipping studying for little old me?"

"I think it's about time we had a proper catching up, don't you?" She laughed and steered me towards the door.

It wasn't like I had anything else planned today anyway, still being unemployed and all. Thus, I allowed myself to be guided away, squeezing her arm lovingly.

* * *

"Looking _go-od_ , Gilbert!"

"Keep walking, Ashton."

"It's Aaron."

"Like I care!" I scoffed.

That would be the _fifth_ guy throwing me a comment since I'd arrived at the police station merely half an hour ago. Moral of the story: I knew _way_ too many scumbags in this town.

I felt as if I had been standing in the same position, leaning my back to the green wallpapered wall with one foot against it for support and my arms crossed in front of my chest, for _ages!_ How long could it _possibly_ take to make one bloody statement?

Vicki's sudden ' _disappearance'_ a few days ago had created some question marks, and the Sheriff had called in Matt, Elena, Jeremy and Stefan for questioning; as well as some other unimportant people whose names I hadn't bothered to add to my memory.

So far, Jeremy had been quick, Stefan out before I'd even noticed he had gone in, but _Elena_ was, as per usual, taking _forever_!

Leaning forward a bit to catch a glimpse of the big, black watch on the wall over the station's check-in desk, I instead found something else attracting my eye; a familiar back, dressed in black leather, to be exact. What was _he_ doing here? Just as I'd formed the silent wondering, the person in question happened to turn around and spot me in return. _Great_. Because this day couldn't _possibly_ get any better!

"Have you gotten yourself into trouble?" Damon teased and moved towards me, a big, cardboard box in his hands.

"Very funny," I spoke coldly. The fact that I hadn't had any breakfast yet was really messing with my mood. "What's that?" I nodded towards the package.

"None of your business." The reply didn't exactly ease my curiosity, so I pushed myself off the wall to tiptoe to see its content. But, before I could see anything useful, Damon moved it out of my sight.

"Secretive much?" I tilted my head to the side, whilst yet again trying the get a good view of the box.

"It's just something for the Sheriff," Damon explained, leaving a lot more suspicious blanks than he filled. And also piquing my interest even more.

"Really? Running errands for old Lizzie, are we? Huh…" I eyed his hands tight grip of the box with interest. "Now, what type of package could _she_ possibly be interested in from someone like _you_ , I wonder."

"Don't concern your pretty head with it," Damon shot back with a tight smile at my teasingly pensive tone. In response, the fun disappeared from my features, replaced with a taut jaw. "Either way, it doesn't matter. She's apparently busy, so I'll just have to come back later."

"Yeah, she's busy alright!" I scoffed. " Interviewing chatty Elena..." I muttered with a glance at Liz's office down the hall and past a pair of double doors.

"I wouldn't have taken her for a very talkative person," Damon said with furrowed brows.

"Well, you don't know her like I do." I laughed dryly. "Elena was about _THIS_ close–" I held up my hand and showed him a mere inch between my thumb and index finger. "–to become one of those stereotypical, shallow cheerleaders."

"Like Caroline," Damon muttered, and I threw him a dirty look. "Easy there," he joked with the already familiar askew smirk showing.

"Nothing's easy about her!" a hooded figure in handcuffs being led past us put in.

"Shut up, Clark!" I snapped, and was returned with a high pitched laugh.

"It's Charlie, sweetheart!" The cop leading him away forced his head back to their path straight ahead. Sighing, I drew a hand across my face to erase the idiot from my mind, and as I let it fall I noticed Damon observing me.

"What?" I grunted.

"You seem to be very popular around here." Damon allowed his narrowed gaze to follow the hooded guy's back. Was I imagining things now – my empty stomach the clear cause – or was that some kind of twisted anger or jealousy I saw, directed towards Chester or what's his face?

"Maybe…" I eyed his contoured features watchfully. "Why?" I fished. Damon, hearing the slightly amused tone to my voice, turned back to me. I cocked up a brow.

Was the big bad vampire – without even a scrap of humanity – getting all worked up by some douchebag being rude to _me_. Given, Damon _had_ shown a bit of having a heart in the right place when he'd asked for my call in compelling away Jeremy's memories of Vicki; and of me. Maybe I had been a little too quick to judge him.

But on the other hand, according to Elena and Stefan, who'd both quickly filled me in on the oldest Salvatore brother's past, everything Damon did was all about Kaitlyn, or whatever her name was. Katherine...? Yes! Katherine! His obsession with her was apparently what was driving him to do, well, pretty much everything. Like being here in this little town to begin with.

So why did it matter that he got a bit pissed off by some douche, or if he was nice and saved someone's brother from being destroyed by a traumatic experience? Damon still had his eyes set on one thing and one thing only: Katherine. Considering she was dead, it would be fun to figure out what his plan was there. From what I'd gathered over the years, bringing people back from the great beyond was rarely done. But hey! Psychopathic, lovestruck vampires and their ways of thinking weren't exactly my specialty.

 _Finally_ spotting Elena exit the heart of the station where all the offices were located, I was pulled away from any further conversation or musings about the guy before me. As she too saw me, she stopped dead in the middle of her step, but I didn't understand why until I realized her gaze had locked on Damon still standing in front of me.

Truthfully, I wondered what the sight must have looked like to her; the guy who'd turned the girl she just made up a covering story about, casually chatting with the woman who had killed said newbie vampire, and who also just so happened to be her sister.

"Nice chatting with you," I said and gave Damon's chest – surprisingly firm, but then again he was probably pretty well-trained beneath all that leather – a quick pat without looking too much at him. "Gotta go. But let me know when you're ready to share about what's in the box." I offered a quick wink, before walking to meet Elena. She only greeted me with a hurt look, and then stormed past me.

Typical, really.

Spotting Damon's smirk directed my way from out of the corner of my eye didn't exactly make the situation any nicer either. Letting out a sigh, I cursed my sister's good name and went to follow her.

"Wait!" I yelled as I ran down the stairs, trying to catch up with her. _Damn_ she was fast! However, I was wearing high-heeled boots whilst she'd chosen flats, so really it wasn't that strange when thinking it over. Ultimately, I still managed to catch up with her and pull her around by a firm yank at her arm. "Come on, sis–"

"Why were you talking to him?" Elena instantly snapped into my face.

"Oh, I don't know." I shrugged. _Digging for info about his box._ "Passing the time?" I offered. She answered with a snort and tried to turn away from me again. "Hey! I thought we were past this," I said and grabbed a secure hold of her arm. She attempted to break free by shaking me loose, but I simply tightened my grip. "Elena?"

"He's a murderer, Parks!" she exclaimed, her patience apparently having run dry from lying to the Sheriff. "He's walking around in broad daylight without a care in the world! He doesn't deserve it." I can't say I wasn't a little hurt by that.

"Are we _only_ talking about Damon now?" I checked with a careful cool seeping into my voice. She avoided my gaze, and instead it froze on something over my head. With a frown, I turned around and spotted Damon casually making his way down the stone steps, towards us. "Elena–" I began, but she had taken this moment of distraction as a chance of yanking her arm from my grip.

About a second away from running after her again, I halted my action when noticing Stefan waiting for her, leaned against her car. As Elena saw him too, she stopped, crossing her arms and immediately adopting a resigned posture.

"Rough times, huh?" Damon commented from behind me, halting at my side.

"Aren't we the last people to comment on such things?" I replied, seeing my sister's back turned to me become more and more tense the longer her conversation continued.

"There's a ' _we_ '?" was Damon's only, smug, response.

My retort and eye roll for him fell away as I watched Elena burst past Stefan in an upset manner, entering her car to drive off before I'd even blinked. Well, there went my ride. Abandoned, just like that! So much for that sisterly love… Nevertheless, she did kind of have the right to be pissed at me right now.

"So she clearly hates me," I stated as Stefan approached me, ignoring his brother and ogling eyes at my side. "Or _you_ , maybe," I added as I noticed his shoulders seemed as resigned as hers had been.

"She needs time," he answered with his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that helping, Stefan. We Gilbert women are a stubborn kind when it comes to things like this." _Lies._ I sighed, staring at the empty parking spot.

"Need a ride?" the smooth voice spoke up from my elbow.

"I'm good with walking," I replied without, yet again, turning to it. "I'll see you around, Stef." I gave the younger Salvatore a pat on the shoulder on my way past him, still neglecting the other one's presence.

"What?" I heard Damon ask innocently; clearly he was about to receive some sort of lecture about his behavior from his brother. With the vivid picture of Stefan staring at Damon disapprovingly, his arms folded over his chest, I couldn't help but smile to myself.

* * *

Barely having left the station behind me, my steps were halted by the buzzing of my phone from my pocket. Hauling it up reveled the last number I expected to see.

"Liz? What's up?"

"Parker! I'm glad I caught you," the Sheriff replied in her Sheriff-y voice: matter-of-factly and strictly down to business. "Your sister was just in, so I was wondering if you were in the neighborhood too and could come by real quick?"

I decided to lie. "Actually, sorry, I'm not." Briefly, I cast a glance over my shoulder at the building _just_ blocking my view of the station. "Why? What's going on?"

"Well," Elizabeth sighed, sounding a little less serious. "It's about this town's… _problem_. I just got a package that could really help out, and I wanted to give some of it to you." To that, I stopped dead and silently cursed myself for not recognizing the smell earlier.

"Vervain." _Of course!_ At least I knew Damon's reason for being all sneaky and extra mysterious, then. But giving it to the Council… What the hell was he up to?

"Yes," Liz replied, a little surprised at my good guess but still hiding it well. "How did you–"

"I can come by and pick some up later," I informed quickly. "Thank you, for calling and offering. Really."

"It's no trouble," she stated. "You want in, I wish you safe." Because of who my parents were. If only she knew… A beep announced that someone else was calling me.

"And I appreciate it, I do, but I gotta go. I'll swing by soon," I promised. Even if it really wasn't necessary; I already had my very own stock of the herb.

"I'll leave some for you at the desk. Just ask."

"Thanks," with that, I pressed the call away to instead have a different female voice pour into my ear.

"Parks!" Jenna practically yelled.

"Jen. Always nice to hear your voice." Holding the device a few inches away to spare my hearing, I waited for her to continue.

"Sorry, but I'm a little stressed, and I was wondering…" Something seemed to be shuffled around on her end, and I dared bringing the phone closer to my head to better catch the sound; papers, ruffled, probably. "Elena's not taking any of my calls after her visit to the station today. Could you maybe swing by the house and check up on her?"

Deciding not to inform my aunt of my sister totally blowing me off and literally leaving me in the dust of her car after I joined her interrogation as moral support, I agreed; but not without reluctance. "Eh… Sure. But I really don't think she wants to see me right now, Jenna."

"Oh, quit messing around," Jenna waved off. "Right now, she'll be miserable to see _anyone_!"

"Not helping," I pointed out tightly.

"Gee, I'm kidding," she chuckled. "It'll be fine. Thank you, you'd really be making my day a whole lot easier."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm super nice and you love me," I huffed, hanging up before my aunt could come with any other attempts at charming me into doing chores as well.

Cutting off her voice mid-laughter, I changed my course for the old Gilbert house.

* * *

Just as I thought, I found my sister sulking on the couch in the living room as soon as I stepped through the door. She was infinitely busy with blankly staring at the TV, where some colorful comedy show flashed by. As I moved inside to seat myself beside her crouched figure, she instantly hugged the pillow in her arms tighter.

"Elena," I asked as gently as I possibly could; nearly wanting to gag because of it. "What's going on?"

"Nothing. I'm fine. What makes you think anything else?" my sister answered shortly and with a pout, sinking further into the couch.

"Look, I know you're not okay with what I…" I tried to find the right words, knowing anything I said would probably come out sounding wrong in her ears at this point. "... _did_. But I also know that you're not this hostile without a reason. _Especially_ after being tolerant about it before. So…" I watched her expectantly. " _What's going on_?"

Elena, continuing to avoid my questioning gaze by staring at the TV, seemed to zip her lips shut. I reached for the remote on the table in front of us to turn the moving display off.

"Is it about Stefan?" I checked. She sighed, letting her shoulders fall in a defeated gesture. Smirking victoriously at finding the cause, I tried to keep the occurrence hidden from her view. "Really? My sister is one of those lovesick fools whose entire world revolves around a guy?" I muttered, mostly to myself, but Elena gave me a hard look. Then, she let her face fall and dig into the pillow. Whoops. "Sorry." I made a face. "Do you…wanna talk about it?" I offered sheepishly.

"No," came the muffled response. But I rather heared: _not with you._ That worked for me too.

"Okay…" Evaluating what or rather _who_ I could call in as a reinforcement to get the truth out of her, I barely caught her final whisper of admitting, directed into the pillow.

"We broke up."

That was a conversation I was in _no_ mood of having. Back up was definitely needed. And I knew just who to call.

* * *

The doorbell rang through the house, and as I made my way to the door I silently cursed Bonnie for not knocking; her presence was supposed to be a _surprise_ for Elena.

"Hi. Is she okay?" Bonnie's concerned eyes met mine.

"No," I sighed and rubbed my forehead. "She's withdrawn into her bedroom." After her faint declaration and my response of silence, I couldn't really blame her either. I nodded upstairs. "Do your magic Bonnie-Bear." Opening the door a little more, I gestured for her to enter.

Instead, Bonnie remained where she was with an odd look, before suddenly quickly bolting into action and hurrying past me to get upstairs.

Well, at least _that_ problem had been taken care of, then. Some success felt to be in need after the last couple of days.

I'd only just had time to steal a snack from the pantry and settling down in the couch with an interesting-looking book I'd found laying around, when both girls returned downstairs. Elena, visibly happier, and Bonnie with a secretive expression on her face.

Without a word, I got up and retrieved an ice cream container from the freezer to hand to my sister with an expressionless look, to which she responded to by accepting with a faint smile. Clearly, my good, old – and sometimes, or most times annoying – sister was back.

"You're gonna have to tell me your secret sometime," I murmured to Bonnie whilst Elena went to dig out spoons for us from a kitchen drawer. Instantly, the dark-haired girl's eyes widened and her face shifted into nothing but pure panic. _Weird, but noted_. Quickly, I let out a little laugh to calm her down. "How you got Elena to talk to you and return to her somewhat normal self, I mean."

"Oh!" Bonnie smiled, a bit hesitant. "Sure, sure…"

Shrugging off the strange vibes I was getting – ignoring the bell of suspicion going off inside my head – I instead chose to enjoy the ice cream shared with Bonnie and Elena; all whilst my sister poured her heart out over her boyfriend – or well, _ex_ -boyfriend now. It felt as if she was keeping some things to herself, not giving away the whole story; but since Bonnie most probably still didn't know about whole vampire-thing, the details had to be a little foggy. I did wonder what _other_ things _Bonnie_ might know…

By the end of Elena's jabber, however, I knew enough to think she was overreacting.

"So. Lemme see if I got this straight: you're refusing to speak to the guy?" I checked. Elena nodded. "Why? Because you're afraid you two might _actually_ solve your problems and get back together? And that's all dangerous and you could get hurt?" That was in the literal and physical sense, but Bonnie just nodded along, thinking I meant emotionally. But, well, that too. "But isn't that what you really want? Deep, _deep_ down."

At first, Elena seemed stunned by my layout. She opened her mouth to say something, but not a word came out. Clearly, I'd hit the right spot. Bonnie's gaze darted back and forth between us where we were sitting by the dining table, her eyes big and round with anticipation of what reaction might come out of my sister by that blunt putting of things. I raised my eyebrows even higher, and Elena closed her mouth.

"Fine," she said and rose from her chair with her palms spread wide on the table. "I'll drive over and talk to him right now. Happy?" Was I happy about Stefan being a vampire who was surrounded by death? No. But then again, so was I… Was I happy my sister clearly loved the guy? Nope, nothing there either. But was I happy with her sitting around here and sulking about it in my presence? _Definitely_ not. So something had to be done.

"It's your life," I responded with a shrug. "Your decision." I knew that would set her off; set her in motion. And, of course, I was right.

"Alright then," Elena only replied; instantly, storming off with drama to grab her car keys on the go.

Once the door had been slammed shut with a bang, I turned back to the ice-cream, catching Bonnie shaking her head at me.

"You sure know how to provoke people," she chuckled.

" _Thank you_ for noticing!" I smirked back and stuffed a spoon full of the delicious, cold cream into my mouth.


	8. Party Pooper

"I can't _believe_ him!" Elena belted the second she barged in through the front door. My immediate guess was that her talk with Stefan probably hadn't gone so well.

Turning to Bonnie seated next to me, in the same spot as when my sister had left, we shared a look.

A look of deep understanding, one that had occurred after I'd coaxed the truth out of the fidgeting Bonnie; she _was_ a witch, just like her Grams had pestered her about for the past weeks. The signs had all been there, but I'd kept my mouth shut about my observations concerning these as Bonnie had told her story, promising to continue to do so when the newly discovered witch swore me to secrecy about her magical powers. My only demand was that she'd show me the same feather things she'd used to cheer Elena up with earlier, to which she'd kindly complied to. All was now well again.

"So. Should you or should I get that?" Bonnie asked me with her dark brows raised high.

"Ugh! I think it's my turn…" I groaned miserably and stood up. "But you can get the honor of cleaning all this up." I smiled sweetly and gestured towards the mess of feathers on the dining table, which the content of a pillow from the sofa had provided for Bonnie's little show.

Before she had any chance to object, I was already halfway up the stairs.

Pausing slightly outside Elena's shut door, I took a steadying and calming breath, before knocking gently. It was answered with something hard being thrown at the door from inside the room. This was even worse than before.

"I'm coming in anyway!" I declared through the door, preparing myself for battle. Nothing could match the rage of a teenager.

However, instead of being met by a mess of thrown around objects and a crying, screaming girl in the middle of it all, Elena sat silently on the bench in her windowsill, staring out at the purple dusk. She might actually have gotten worse. On the floor before me laid Elena's old teddybear in a weird position. I picked him up to hold him for my sister to see.

"Did he really deserve that?" The short laugh I got sounded more like a cough, and was cut off before it could even begin. Clearly no time for jokes, then.

Moving further into the room, I went to sit down on the bench next to her, the small of my back leaned against the wall of the window recess. Pulling my legs up under me, I rested my chin in my hands and focused my gaze fully on Elena. From there on, I remained in that position for what felt like a good few minutes, just staring at her.

Eventually, she caved; a sigh and a repositioning later, she finally faced me.

"He had a woman there," Elena slowly spoke. "She was wearing a towel. Said he was in the shower." I thought about the scene in my head for a moment, imagining my sister's chin dropped to the floor prior to storming out, before leaning back with a sigh.

"Yeah, that does sound pretty bad," I remarked.

"Not helping." Elena rubbed her tired forehead. "I don't wanna feel like this." Her voice cracked slightly at the last word.

"It sucks," I stated, and got a hint of a smile from her, although it looked very sad.

"Yes, it does." Her sigh was heartbreaking, bringing out the only genuine compassion I seemed to have left in me; solely reserved for my baby sister.

"Okay… I don't wanna sound like I'm defending him," I began carefully, but there was just something odd with the picture. The image of Stefan jumping into bed with another woman didn't fit in my mind. "But maybe there is a reasonable explanation. 'Cause I'm guessing you didn't stick around to talk with him after that?" I checked.

"Nope." My sister shook her head.

"Right…" I sat there quietly for a moment, feeling Elena's eyes on me, excepting me to go on. "I'm sorry!" I let out, sighing. "I don't have any deep meaningful advice for you. Not really my thing. That was a douchey move and you should ignore the guy. If you want me to, I'll even go over there and kick his ass. And the woman's ass too." Elena just raised a brow. " _Or_ , if I am to go with my gut here…" I leaned forward and clasped my hands together, my gaze firmly meeting my sister's. "As much as I hate to admit it, Stefan _actually_ seems like a genuinely nice guy. Even for being a bloodsucking vampire. So _maybe_ you should at least hear him out. See what he has to say about this. Hm?" I tilted my head to the side. She sighed, rolling her eyes and pushing me away with a little playfulness.

"Wise ass."

" _Where_ did you learn such words!" I faked a horrified gasp.

"Where do you think?" Elena faintly chuckled back, elbowing my side. I stopped myself from ceasing it and tackling her into the floor, instead suggesting it was time for a movie night.

So, this time it was _I_ who returned downstairs with a now happy Elena, meeting a feather free kitchen and a Bonnie just closing the cabin to the trashcan.

Without wasting a moment, we sat down to plan which movies to best fill the night with, a suggestion concerning bad rom-coms instantly winning. However, Bonnie soon declared that she was bailing; something about her Grams and the witchy-business.

When Elena's mouth fell open by Bonnie dropped the w-bomb so casually in front of me, I quickly filled her in on my new knowledge. She eyed me suspiciously, clearly wondering how much I already knew about the magic stuff in general. But I wasn't telling.

Instead, I made myself _extremely_ busy with picking out a bad movie, to the extent that I didn't even notice the knock at the front door until Elena informed me of it. Or, well, I rather didn't care to answer it.

"I'll get it, then," she sighed in an over-the-top dramatic manner when I – who was seated closer to the door – didn't move. Placing a bowl of most probably barbeque chips, at least judging by the smell, she had just carried from the kitchen, on the coffee table, Elena went past me to answer it.

After casting a glance over my shoulder to make sure the late-night visitor was a harmless one, spotting none other than Stefan, I returned to the rack of movies in front of me.

I kept scanning over the surprising amount of films – everything from old, black and white, detective movies, to unrealistic action, to an impressive collection of bad romantic comedies – to pick from until Elena returned and cleared her throat from the doorway. Already a hunch about what was to come, I turned and looked up from my crossed-legged seating on the floor.

"How would you feel about a change of plans?" she asked me cautiously. I merely raised a brow. "Okay, just hear me out!" Elena continued and held her hands up in a defending gesture. "A party, at the Grill." I kept staring. "There will be alcohol," she added, sighing, clearly being desperate enough to go to such lengths.

"Sure!" I smiled and got up from the floor with a little jump. "But may I ask, does the sudden change of plans have something to do with the man at the door? Because a minute ago, you sounded all for staying in."

"Well…" Elena scratched the back of her head, with a hint of a smile. "Yeah."

"Was Stefan's explanation any good, at least?" I checked. She nodded. "Oh, well. I suppose I should support this, then." I fluffed my hair back in place and stretched out my body, which had stiffened during my time on the floor. "Being a Stelena shipper and all."

Elena let out a little laugh. "A _what_?"

"You know, Stefan and Elena–" I pointed at the imaginary names I wrote in the air, before bringing my hands together. "–Stelena!" She simply raised an eyebrow at me. "Oh, never mind!" I huffed. "Shall we?" The look Elena gave me as I brushed past her was still amused, but I ignored it, grabbing my brown leather jacket to hold the front door open for her.

* * *

"I need to go to the bathroom." _Literally_ the very first thing Elena said when we entered the Grill. That woman's bladder was _scary_ prompt. My sister practically _ran_ through the crowded room and disappeared into the lady's room, leaving me standing there all alone in the middle of the crowd of drunk teenagers.

How fun. Why had I agreed to this again? Right, Elena still kind of liked Stefan. And this was a bar. Meaning, alcohol.

Apparently, the girl in the towel from earlier had been his best friend for the past 140 or so years, meaning _no_ romance there. Also, today was Stefan's birthday, probably what the party was about. In other words, there were many reasons for Elena to forgive and forget previous behavior and move forward with her relationship with Stefan; so why was she hiding in the bathroom?

Shrugging off my sister's problematic love life, I steered my steps towards the bar. The bartender seemed to recognize me, which didn't surprise me; I had become sort of a regular around here lately. Heck, I had already been one before leaving town.

"The usual?" he asked with slight smile. I returned it with a wide grin and nodded. Just as he disappeared away to fix my drink, a blonde dropped down on the stool next to me and tried calling him back. When she didn't get any response, she sighed and slouched down with an elbow against the bar counter. I kept observing her with a slight smirk, which caused her to eye me suspiciously.

"What?" she demanded.

"Oh, nothing." I shrugged, still not averting my eyes from her. "It's just that ' _hey bartender'_ usually never works." She straightened her posture and continued with the staring.

"What do you suggest instead, then?"

"Watch this," I said knowingly, leaning over the bar. "Hey, Nick!" The man in question immediately came running back to meet my sweet smile.

"Did you want anything else?" he questioned. I swung my head around and gave the blonde a meaning look. She shook her head, not sure if she was impressed or just baffled.

"Two shots of tequila." she ordered. I let out a little cough, and she smiled. "Make that three." He poured them up for her and pushed them over the smooth surface of the counter.

"I'm gonna need to see some ID," he spoke, suddenly a little hesitant on who to give out the alcohol to. Well, there was a first. The blondes brows furrowed, and she leaned over the bar, but before she had any chance to speak up, I cut in.

"It's fine Nick, she's cool," I assured with a wave of my hand. His eyes flew between us, before he shrugged and walked away again, hopefully to get my order. The blonde looked impressed, pushing one of the shots over at me.

"You seem to know your way around."

"You're welcome." I smiled and looked down at the shot. "But I won't be needing this. Although I know who might." I nodded towards my sister, just having returned from the bathroom to glance at the crowd as she chewed on the inside of her lip. Something in the woman's eyes shifted when she spotted Elena, as if she recognized her. A theory popped into my head.

"Giving up a free drink doesn't seem very Parker-like," a smooth voice said behind me. Rolling my eyes, I threw a look over my shoulder at the bar stool, the all-too familiar smirk meeting my gaze. To my surprise, the blonde seemed equally annoyed by Damon's presence.

"Seems like I'll be needing it now," I said coldly. The blonde tried to smother a laughter, although not very well. Damon's gaze shot daggers at her, and she responded by flashing her eyelashes back at him.

"Damon, I had _actually_ forgotten you would be here. Well, it was certainly nice while it lasted." She gave him a fake smile. This woman was growing on me by the second! "Don't worry," she said, now turned to me, "I'll give this to her." She raised the shot with a nod towards Elena, before squinting her eyes at Damon one last time. "Sorry to leave you with _him_." Damon put a hand over his heart with an expression of fake hurt on his face. "Yeah, like you _have_ one!" the blonde snorted, giving me one last smile before she gracefully picked up the three shots and sauntered off into the crowd.

Observing carefully, I watched as she moved to strike up a chat my sister. Quickly, I also noticed someone else regarding the two; Stefan, smiling faintly from across the room. So my suspicions had been correct: the blonde was the old best friend. Having been right, I smiled to myself, before being painfully reminded that Damon was still sitting next to me.

"You should know that your sister is pretty worried," he spoke in a nonchalant tone. My head snapped to him.

"And how would _you_ know?"

"Well, she came up to me…" I huffed "...fine. _I_ came up to _her_. Happy?" I didn't respond, so he simply went on. "Anyway, she expressed her growing concern about your little brother's recent changed behavior. Slightly accused me of compelling away more than what was asked, might I add." Damon, who had been twirling a glass in his hand – one which I suspected had contained _my_ previously ordered drink – stopped with this movement and turned to look at me, observing my reaction.

"So?" I asked, without giving away anything. He sighed and turned his chair so that he was facing me, grabbed a hold of my stool and twirled me around towards him, leaving his hands on either side of my thighs. I was about to forcefully remove them with a scowl, but he spoke before I could do so.

" _So_ , I answered her kindly." Of course he did.

"Tried calming her down, I'm sure," I scoffed, trying to ignore how his hand brushed against my leg. Why didn't I move it?

"Exactly. But she didn't seem convinced. Just a heads up." He smirked and leaned back, releasing his grasp on my chair. Something loosened in my chest.

"So now you're giving me forewarnings about my siblings behavior?" I huffed. "What is _this_ even?" I gestured at the space between us. The question had been bothering me for a while now, and I figured I would try the approach of simply asking.

As expected, he answered with a smug smirk. "A truce, I think you called it."

"That was _before_ I knew about Caroline," I reminded with a harsh tone. "Speaking of which."

Speak of the devil and he will appear; or _she_ in this case. In that moment, Caroline happened to stumble from the bar a few stools away, making her way towards Matt. _Good_. He would have it covered. As I saw how she dropped down next to him with slouched shoulders, I immediately gave Damon an accusing look. His jaw had clenched slightly, the flirtatious gleam in his eyes gone.

"You leave her alone and I _might_ reconsider," I spoke, rising from my chair. I was about to leave, but hesitated and pointed at the empty glass on the counter. "And you owe me a drink." I got a glimpse of the wry smirk before I elbowed my way towards my sister in the heart of the crowd.

The blonde vampire was gone, and Elena had an empty shot glass in her hands.

"Are my eyes deceiving me, or is that my sister with a _finished_ drink!" I gasped, laughing at the roll of her eyes, before I threw my arms around her to hang onto her annoyingly.

"Actually, I didn't drink it. But are _you_ drunk _already_?"

"I haven't had a single drop of alcohol!" I spoke, a bit offended by her question. "Here. Just smell my breath." She tried pushing me away, but I just hung onto her tighter. Maybe it wasn't so surprising that she would assume I was drunk, my behavior _was_ kind of suspicious.

"Come on!" Elena sighed, rolling her eyes at me again. However, I knew that she was laughing hysterically on the inside because of my conduct, the tugging at the corner of her mouth giving her away.

Somehow, she managed to force me back to the bar and down on a stool. Thankfully, Damon had by then disappeared and left the area free, abling me to relax. Once again, I charmed Nick, getting us both drinks.

"I'm such a good role model!" I joked as we clinked our glasses together. Elena giggled and took a sip, whilst I finished the whole thing in one swig and waved for another one. My sister seemed a little absentminded, staring into the crowd with a glazed gaze. "What are we thinking?" I asked as I received my second glass.

"I'm a little worried about Jeremy," Elena spoke, all serious, and put her drink down. Here I'd thought she would start blabbering about Stefan. But had Damon really given me some _useful_ information earlier?

"He seems fine to me," I answered nonchalantly and stretched out my stiff body, hearing pleasant cracks along my spine.

"I'm serious," Elena told me firmly as she grabbed my arm, forcing away my attention from my flexing. "He's acting weird."

"How?" I asked with my brows furrowed.

"Well, he _actually_ sat down and studied earlier. And it seems… I don't know, like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders or something."

Truth be told, I had also been concerned with Jeremy's new carefree behavior at first. But once I thought over what Damon must have said to him, I came to a conclusion.

"The grieving is gone," I stated, not able to help my sad smile. I had to admit, I was a _little_ jealous of the kid. Now it was my sister's turn to furrow her brows, but for her it was in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Damon took away his pain, Elena. All of it. I could see it right away." She still looked at me with confusion written on her face. I let out a tired sigh. Why did she have to be so damn slow? "His suffering is gone." She seemed dumbfounded by this too, so I added: "He's fine, trust me." She still wasn't convinced, but at least didn't push the matter any further. Instead, she picked up her drink and continued sipping on it, grimacing at the strong taste.

"You need to get your mind off of it. Shots?" I suggested temptingly. Elena wasn't usually into that type of thing, but I knew she could let loose in some situations. And today seemed to be my lucky day! She nodded, maybe a little reluctantly, but still with a smile.

Even though she was done after only two, I continued to entertain her with my strong alcohol persistence.

"Do I even wanna know how you became so good at this?" she laughed after I slammed the top of the glass down onto the wooden counter for the umpteenth time.

"Nope," I stated and picked up a new one, holding it up for Elena, nodding, before I finished it in one quick swig.

We were _actually_ having fun together! Which felt like ages ago. However, instead of goofing around into the late hours as we'd done before I skipped town, we now sat with our heads close together and discussed the people passing around us, making up rumors and laughing at each other's imaginative suggestions.

As my eyes wandered over the crowd in search for my next victim to criticize, I caught sight of the blonde from before playing pool with Stefan. For once he was _genuinely_ smiling, something I hadn't seen him do unless he was around my sister. Good to know the guy had other ways of being happy.

"Who is she?" I nodded towards the woman, and Elena looked over her shoulder. Even though I already knew the answer, or at least suspected it, I wanted it confirmed.

"That's Lexi. Stefan's best friend."

"Right! The girl in the towel?" Elena nodded. "I met her before, she insulted Damon. I kinda like her." I tilted my head to the side and observed her make a perfect shot to turn and high five Stefan. "Is she single?"

"No, she said something about having a boyfriend," Elena laughed and shook her head, almost apologetically.

"Damn. Why are all the good ones always taken?" I took yet another shot as my sister let out another laugh, but it suddenly got stuck in her throat, and as I turned around I realized why.

"How can you say that when _I'm_ still single?" Damon's faked hurt tone to his voice was hard to miss, and it lessened even more as he smirked. He sat down on the bar stool next to me and waved at the bartender. _Really!_ This _again?_

"Hm… Last time I checked, you were still hung up on some girl for the past, what, 200 years was it?" I raised a brow, and he chuckled.

"Doesn't mean I still can't have a little fun." He leaned in closer to me, and maybe it was the alcohol or my playfulness from joking around with Elena just now, but I found myself not moving away. Until Elena quickly cleared her throat and yanked me backwards.

"Come with me to the bathroom, Parks," she spoke through gritted teeth. Before I had any chance of protesting, she had dragged me with her, leaving a still smirking Damon behind us.

Once we were through the crowd and out of sight, I yanked my arm back.

"What was that about? I had it covered!"

"It didn't look like it!" Elena threw a look over my shoulder and sighed, eyeing me seriously "Your track record with guys like him isn't too good, Parks." At least she wasn't going on about his murderous side this time. "Can you blame me for being a little worried?"

"Don't be. I'm the older one here, and I know what I'm doing. I can take care of myself. Or at least I've done a pretty darn good job at it so far." Elena didn't look convinced, but I slid past her into the ladies room before she could start listing all the reasons why I was wrong. Apparently, our parents had either filled her in on my past activities during my high school time, or she herself had caught onto enough details during it to form a clear enough picture. Either way, it was going to be a problem.

But once I'd finished up and returned back out into the narrow hall connecting the Grill to the toilets, my sister was gone. Leaving me free to do whatever I wanted without the risk of being lectured. Since when was she, my baby sister, giving out lectures anyway? That was supposed to be _my_ job. Okay, fine, I'll admit that I hadn't really done a good job on that front so far, but we're all works in progress!

Making my way back to the bar counter, I held up my hand to gesture for yet another drink. Truthfully, this evening had just felt like a long repeating scene of me either elbowing my way through the noisy crowd of teenagers, or chugging down some shots. As I got my strong alcohol in hand, I swept my gaze over the room, keeping an eye out for anyone I might recognize, but instead caught sight of Elena. She was talking to Stefan, grinning from ear to ear; they really seemed to be warming up to each other again. _Good for them._

An odd bitterness bubbled up inside of me, and I quickly downed my drink to keep back whatever memory threatened to come rushing up. As soon as I placed my empty glass back on the counter, I felt the alcohol hit my head, grabbing for the edge of the counter to keep myself from swaying. Looking up at the rows of bottles lined up behind the bar, I even noticed the edges of my view turning a little blurry.

Even so, I wasn't gone enough to miss the presence next to me. Rotating slightly towards it revealed Damon, eyeing me up and down. He took one look at my state of squinted eyes and hand gripping the counter, the number of empty shot glasses next to me, and got a _perfect_ perception about the situation. Probably.

"Hi." I raised my hand in a slack movement, and as it fell down made a thudding noise when hitting my thigh. "Whoops," was my only comment.

"You're drunk," Damon stated.

"Well, stating the obvious," I scoffed, rolling my eyes, but instead ended up nearly losing my balance completely, hadn't Damon been so quick to stabilized me with a hand on my waist. Seeing it there, so oddly placed yet still not wanting to remove it, had me sniggering. _Sniggering!_ Damon seemed about as baffled about that as me. He threw a look at Elena and Stefan, who were lovingly gazing into each other's eyes somewhere on the other side of the crowded room, before he sighed.

"This wasn't part of the plan," he muttered, but grabbed my arm and began pulling me with him.

As we pressed our way through the tight crowd of people hitting the dance floor, Damon had to put an arm around me to keep me from falling, my legs suddenly having decided to give up on me.

I didn't even react that we were outside the Grill until the chilly air hit me and Damon placed my jacket over my shoulders. When had he even grabbed it? Probably whilst I'd been busy keeping myself upright and my thoughts in order, not letting them slip away into old memories of hands touching other places than where Damon's now laid on my back and upper arm.

"We're outside," I stated.

"Very perceptive of you," he praised dryly, continuing to drag me away from the building. We passed a couple making out in a dark corner, but I was quickly yanked forward when I tried to stop and get a look to see if I recognized either of them.

"Why? I wasn't done in there!" I protested, proud at my speach at least still unaffected, even if my thoughts were slow. Regardless of Damon's grumbling response, I tried twisting my way out of his grip, but he was a strong vampire and I a _very_ drunk non-vampire. Obviously, I didn't succeed in getting free.

"Stop that! I'm trying to help you!" Damon huffed, frustrated.

" _Help_ me?" I checked, staring at him as he continued to drag me along. "You?" Sharply, I let out a laugh at the hysterical situation, which evolved into a fit so violent I could barely even stand up straight anymore.

Hearing him sigh again, as I practically sagged against his body, shaking, I felt two arms wrap around my body. It then took me a moment of blinking and breathing, before I realized I'd been thrown over Damon's shoulder.

"Hey! Not okay!" I protested, hitting his back to get him to put me down. Only, Damon just ignored me and kept walking. If I hadn't been so drunk, I would _easily_ have made him regret that. But now, I instead felt a sour feeling start to spread from my stomach up my throat, and I released a growl. "I'm serious, Damon. Put me down!"

He must have heard the sharpness to my voice, because he immediately obeyed. I stood folded over for a couple of seconds, taking deep breaths whilst trying to gather myself and force down the building bile. Once I felt safe to, I straightened up my posture and gave Damon a hard look, holding up my hand when he moved to undoubtedly try to pick me up again.

"No!" I shook my head firmly. " _Not_ upside down!" He listened, sighed a bit, but _actually_ listened, instead picking me up bridal style.

"Better?" he checked as I placed my arm around his neck for a more secure travel.

"Much." I nodded. "But no vamp-speed!" I added quickly, even in my mist having felt his body tense against mine, as if preparing to dash off into just that. "Unless you feel like washing your jacket."

"Point taken," Damon commented, choosing a more humane pace.

During the rest of the hazy path, I vaguely recalled Damon asking for my address, and _actually_ getting a truthful reply from me as my head grew heavier and heavier where it rested against his shoulder.

Also, an unclear suspicion awakening had floated into my mind as I'd been on the verge of unconsciousness. Alcohol alone had never before made me this out of it, which had me wondering if some other substance might have been dropped into one of those many drinks without my notice. The chilling thought – more so because it had gotten past my attention than the horrified action in itself – was however eased as we reached the inside of my building.

From there on, the world got even murkier, only sensations filling me. Like heavy eyelids falling shut, body meeting soft bedding, gentle fingers stroking strands of hair away from my face, resting a second too long against my cheeks.

Then, dark, odd sleep gripped me. Holding tight, right until a buzzing phone against my leg forced me back.

By then, night had been turned into day, and the worried voice of my sister was what met me as I – once rubbing the sleep from my eyes and massaging my aching head – listened to the voicemail she'd left. Besides wondering where I'd gone, they informed me that Lexi had been killed last night, by none other than _Damon_.

Honestly, I just wanted to go back to sleep after that. And I probably should have.


	9. An (un)Accepted Application

Beneath me, the soft cushions I rested upon shifted as someone seated themselves next to me, evoking a groan as they tried to rip the pillow I had covering my face to shield it from the blinding light. Succeeding with their task, I was momentarily blinded by the sunlight sneaking in through the badly angled blinds, before my sister's face came into my squinted view.

"I thought your alcohol persistence was better than this," Elena accused, but I heard both the worry and love in her voice, even in my current hungover state.

"It usually is. But anyone can have a bad night." Or a bad drink. Checking for effects after last night, I found that my mouth felt dry and my voice sounded hoarse. I tried clearing my throat in the hopes that it would feel better, but instead I got the feeling I was being stabbed by thousands of small daggers. In other words, not so pleasant. Elena held out a glass of water for me, and I took it without hesitating. As I carefully tried to sit up, my head only began to pound more obsessively. A futile thought had me considering fighting hangover with more booze, and I stretched in my seat to try to get a better view of the cabinet where I kept some of my liquor.

"I emptied it," Elena spoke, following my gaze, and my eyes snapped back to her.

"You _WHAT_?"

"You can't keep drowning your problems in alcohol." She rose up from the light gray couch and moved through my one-roomed apartment towards the windows, where she recklessly drew the blinds up completely. The light immediately filled the room, and I released a hissing sound, pinning my eyes shut as I desperately tried to find my previous pillow to bury my face in.

"I don't have a drinking problem, you crazy woman!" I shouted as Elena returned and once again attempted to pry the pillow from my grasp.

"You...need...a...job!" she grunted, finally managing to jerk the pillow away. We both stared at each other, equally out of breath. "You're hungover! How can you be so strong?" I only shrugged and put a hand over my eyes to avoid answering; it didn't prevent the sunlight from reaching me one bit.

When I finally removed it, Elena had magically managed to make me toast and a cup of tea.

"How very British of you," I joked, but a flash of pain in my head stopped me from seeing my sister's reaction. Although she probably rolled her eyes at me or something, as usual.

"I thought you might miss it." There was a bigger meaning behind those words than she let show. I knew how curious Elena was about my time away. I had basically given her absolutely no information about it whatsoever, but I wasn't going to change that now.

Instead, I sat up, with much effort, and began drinking my tea and nibbling on the toast. Rather than pushing the matter any further, Elena went back to her previous topic.

"So, I've looked for a few available positions around town…" Elena began. I grunted at this, and she sighed. "How are you otherwise suppose to pay the rent of this place?" The memory of my sketchy landlord's note, sitting on my door at my arrival, resurfaced.

"Fine," I muttered, and Elena's mood immediately rose considerately.

"Then it's settled! Here's what I found." She pulled out a file from her shoulder bag and placed it on the coffee table in front of me. "Flip it through and we can talk more about it when you're not so…" I raised an eyebrow at her eyeing my appearance with distaste. "We'll talk later," she settled on and rose to head for the door. "Jenna and I will be monitoring!" Elena called over her shoulder.

Before closing the door with unkind force, leaving me with a flash of pain caused by harsh sound. As well as a day full of work. _How_ _fun_.

* * *

"I'd say I'm a solid eight when it comes to salesmanship."

"That is great, Miss Gilbert. But even if we want to be profitable, we don't want our customers getting alcohol poisoning from over consumption."

"Of course, of course! I'm just saying, I know my way around people."

The woman seated in front of me, around her late 40s and with a big halo of untameable hair in a deep red shade, gazed at me as if she didn't doubt that one bit. In the split of a second, I feared how much of my high school reputation still roamed around this town's gossip.

"We _do_ need more people who have experience." She eyed through the quick résumé I'd thrown together in all haste, presumably liking what she saw. It wasn't much, but one or two bars with great recommendation was at least something I'd been able to out down. My other and main employment wouldn't look too good on paper. Too bloody. Roberta took off her glasses, quickly massaging a spot between her eyes before she looked at me again. "And I do remember how warmly your mother always spoke about you."

I swallowed. Getting hired out of pity? No thanks.

"You know what, as much as it warms for you to consider my mom's memory in this, I gotta–" I began to rise, reaching after my jacket thrown over the back of my chair. But Roberta setting her hand down firmly onto the table between us had me halting.

"I wouldn't base any hiring out of old friendship bonds," she told me, firmly holding my gaze. "This looks good, Gilbert." She raised the paper making up my résumé. "And this place could use some fresh out of the city blood." _Give the locals something to gossip about._ "Plus," she sighed, as if reading my thoughts in my eyes. "You remind me of myself. My younger self," she added when I couldn't hide my snort. "Determined. I like it. The job's yours if you want it, Gilbert," she finished, getting up from her chair to extend her hand to me.

I stared at it for a moment, then let my gaze drift to the face starting to show small signs of aging. My mom would have been around her age, by now. Dad too. And they would both have flipped tables if I'd turned such a generous position down. That was almost enough for me to almost decline the kind offer, but I decided to not be foolish.

"Thank you." I took her hand, and we shook once. Firmly.

"I can set up an introduction tomorrow, around noon. We'll talk contract later."

"I'll be here." I nodded.

"Great to have you onboard." And with that, Roberta turned to with striding steps return to her office after a sweep of the place with her keen eyes. I stood, blinking after her. That had almost been _too_ easy.

Letting myself feel a bit up triumphant, knowing it wouldn't last when I'd ultimately have to tell my sister of this position, I moved to make my way for the exit. Only, a seated pair caught my eye. Or, _I_ rather caught _theirs_.

"Well, well, well," Jenna began with a grin. "Is that Parker I see? Chatting with–" She stretched to catch the back of the red hair. "–Roberta? Hm, what could be going on here."

"Save it," I sighed, nearing her seated at a booth opposite from my little brother. I greeted the latter by digging my fingers into his long hair and messing up the already messy style. With a scowl, he jerked away from my hand to smooth the hairs back into place.

"Can we expect a happy announcement soon?" Jenna went on to tease.

"We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?" I cut her a sharp glare, but she only chuckled. "What is up with her?" I asked Jeremy, coming to seat myself next to him.

"Someone's got a crush," Jer stated, smiling smugly. Jenna kicked him beneath the table.

"I do _not_!" she said, firmly. Too firmly. And too angrily.

"Ooh! Who is he?" I inquired, looking back and forth between the visibly amused Jeremy and the huffing Jenna.

"Kinda tall," Jer began. Jenna took on a scowl, but this time Jeremy was fast enough to dodge her kicking foot. He placed his legs on my lap for protection. "Brown hair, dreamy eyes, charming…"

"Who _really_ has a crush here?" Jenna tried, but I wasn't inclined to jump onto the gay train. Not when she looked so deliciously bothered by Jer's antics.

"He's the new history professor," Jeremy turned to tell me, ignoring Jenna completely. "Cool guy. Gave me a chance to make up for my lacking attendance and not too fabulous grades. All I gotta do is write a paper about something local. So _way_ nicer than Tanner."

"Not that hard to be," I scoffed.

"Aaaaaaand he's coming right this way," Jeremy finished, looking over our aunt's head as he swung his legs down from my lap. "Hey, Mr Saltzman," my brother greeted the approaching man, who was indeed tall and handsome down to my brother's description.

"Jeremy, what's up?" the man replied with, joining my brother's complicated handshake. Unlike me, who'd Jeremy had several times tried to get to respond to his hands weird and wiggly motions, the teacher nailed it on the first try.

"It's all good." Jeremy made a gesture towards me. "This is my sister, Parker."

"Hi. Alaric Saltzman. Nice to meet." Alaric leaned over the table to shake my hand with a firm grip. When he noticed me squeezing his hand back, he made sure to not press any harder. _Good guy._

"Likewise." I leaned back, catching Jenna eyeing the professor up and down in an undressing way. "I hear you beat the old teacher with ease."

"Oh, just trying to make a good first impression." He smiled, and I mirrored it politely. When Alaric turned to say something to my brother about the local library seeming to have a broad supply about the local history, I cast Jenna an approving glance. Her cheeks flushed.

Leaving us with a good luck to Jeremy and a little more polite conversation with me, Alaric stole a glance I knew all too well at Jenna. Once he was at the bar, out of the range of hearing, I leaned over the table in a conspiratory manner.

"He likes you," I stated for Jenna. She seemed ready to protest, but to my surprise _Jeremy_ joined in, his elbows braced on the table next to mine.

"C'mon! Did you not see that look? You _had_ to see it!"

"You guys…" Jenna shook her head. "Would you stay out of my lovelife!"

My brother and I shared a look. "Never," we spoke in unison. Jenna sighed, rolling her eyes, and had them ending up landing on Alaric at the bar.

"Go talk to him," I instructed. If life was ever going to be normal again, starting with getting my aunt a date seemed to be the way to achieve it. Jeremy nodded in agreement.

"You gotta!" he insisted.

With both of our big, brown eyes urging Jenna, she gave in with a sigh.

"Fine!" She began sliding out of the booth. "But I need an excuse. So you two need to skedaddle." She waved us off. Jeremy was quick to pull me to my feet. "Walk him home, will ya?" Jenna requested when Jer was too busy putting on his jacket in excitement to hear.

"Don't you worry about anything other than getting some." I placed my hand on her arm, winking.

"Let's go!" Jeremy pulled me towards the exit before Jenna could either laugh or hit me.

"Look at us!" I bumped my hip with Jer's once we were outside. "Total matchmakers!" His previous excitement seemed completely blow away when I raised my hand for a triumphant high five. Like the teenager he truly was, Jeremy lowered his head, pretending not to know me as I took his wrist and forced our palms to collide. "Yeah!"

Who would have thought that I'd have the time to both get a job _and_ get in some good old embarrassment for my baby bro during the same day!

* * *

"YOU DID WHAT?" Elena exclaimed and stood up, knocking the chair she'd been sitting on over in the process.

"I applied for a job at the Grill," I repeated, calmly.

She stared at me, panting. Her eyes were shooting out of her head, her nostrils flared out. I was partly amused by her reaction, as well as a little frightened, truth be told. She looked straight up insane.

At first, I hadn't planned on breaking the news of my job so soon, especially not before the introduction course, but with Jenna and Jeremy catching me at the Grill yesterday I didn't have much of a choice than to have the dreaded conversation with my sister.

Quickly, I'd decided that the best time to go over to her house was a morning before school, hoping that she would be too tired to get upset with me then. However, she'd instead instantly began filling me in on everything that had happened since we last spoke, without any hint of being the slightest bit dozy. _Dammit._

To summarize it: Stefan wanted to stay away from Elena after Lexi's death; Bonnie had been haunted by a witch, which had later ended with said witch possessing her to destroy some crystal that Damon wanted, after which he had tried to kill her, nearly succeeding hadn't Stefan and his blood been there to heal the injured Bonnie; and after this Stefan saw all the more reasons to not want to be near Elena, fearing that his presence would put her in danger. Thus, he was planning on leaving town.

In other words, everyone had been busy.

Truthfully, I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about Stefan going away. He had a point with his whole ' _Look what's happened, I can't be near you, it's too dangerous'_ , but also, what a wimp! If my sister was okay with putting her life in danger for him, then why not? Clearly, my feelings were a bit conflicted about that.

"PARKER! How could you?" Elena called me back to the present situation.

"It's a job, isn't it? What's the problem?"

"The _problem_?" She started pacing around, throwing me furious glares as she desperately tried to find the right words to express her anger. "It's at a _bar_! You're supposed to be _avoiding_ them, not _working_ in them!" Her voice became so high-pitched that it nearly cracked, and I responded by clearly uttering the absolute worst thing you could possibly say in a situation like this.

"Would you calm down, Elena."

"Calm down? CALM DOWN? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?" Her face was beginning to take on the color of a tomato.

"What's going on down here?" Jenna asked as she emerged from stairs and through the hallway. Elena swung towards our aunt.

"PARKER HAS–" she began, but I instantly shot up from my chair and jumped to put my hand over my her mouth, muffling her words. Jenna suspecting my new job was one thing, hearing it shouted from the top of my sister's lungs was another. But Elena began yelling against my palm and tried to whirl her way out of my grip. Without thinking I responded by holding her pinned against my chest, putting my foot out to bring her down into the wooden floor with me. Quickly and fueled by reflexes, I moved so that she instead of laying on top of me, was under me, with the entire weight of my body keeping her down.

"Parker!" Jenna exclaimed from the doorframe. I snapped out of my daze, having forgotten she was standing there. And who was under me. _Whoops_. Rolling off my sister I hopped to my feet, pulling her up with me. Elena stared at me with her mouth dropped open and her eyes big and round. "What are you doing?" Jenna questioned.

"More importantly: where did you learn _that_?" Elena added, out of breath from my wrestling.

"Self-defense class," I quickly covered. It wasn't _entirely_ a lie.

Both of the women were still staring at me with their mouths gaping. I pushed Elena's chin up, closing her mouth, and she flinched a little at my touch. Even though I simply rolled my eyes at her, a very different feeling was occurring inside of me. _My sister was afraid of me._ It tore, but I locked it away before my facial features twisting by the sting could betray me.

" _Why_ did you do that?" Jenna asked and crossed her arms. "Why were you two fighting? I heard screaming." I gave Elena a warning look, but clearly her fear of me wasn't enough to stop her from opening her mouth again.

" _Parker_ has taken a job at the _Grill_. As a _bartender_!" The anger was still there, but she also sounded a little triumphing, ratting me out to Jenna.

"I never said _that_!" I protested. Elena's head snapped back to me.

"Oh, it was obvious!" she hissed.

"Really?" Jenna checked, eyeing me. Elena's posture grew taller as she continued to look at me with a smug expression on her face. "Does that mean I can get free drinks?"

"Jenna!" Elena belted and her head snapped back to our aunt, accusingly.

"What?" Jenna defended. "It wouldn't be a _bad_ thing… Besides, it's a job, isn't it?"

"Thank you!" I called, leaning against the dining table.

"You." Elena pointed at me. "Shush!" She spun back around to face Jenna. "How can you say that?"

"Okay, Elena. Let's crack it down a notch," Jenna spoke calmingly, pushing down her niece's shoulders all the way up by her ears. "You have school, go get dressed." Elena opened her mouth to protest, but Jenna held a strict hand up, diverting her. "We'll continue this later." Elena's eyes flew between us furiously, before she dramatically stormed out of the room and upstairs, her every step in the stair echoing with a bang.

"Love you too, sis!" I called after her. Her bedroom door was slammed shut hard enough to make the house rattle.

"Don't push it," Jenna warned. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You don't make it easy, do you?"

"What's the fun in that?" I smirked. My aunt chuckled a little, but the deep frown on her forehead remained. "I'm sorry, Jenna. But it's a job."

"Yeah, I know. It's just…" She turned her head, listening after Elena's steps. "You know how she can get," Jenna finished, having decided that there was no risk that Elena would hear her. Not after that door slam.

"Oh, yeah. I noticed," I scoffed.

"Give her a little time and I'm sure she'll come around. If not…" Jenna tapped her finger against her chin. "Maybe cut down on the drinking a little?" she suggested, although not so convincingly.

"Maybe…" I answered, in an equally vague tone.

Before Jenna could go on, Elena returned downstairs, all dressed up with a green scarf in her hand.

"Jeremy's got his sketch pad out," she informed contently, although her words seemed to only be directed towards Jenna, as if I wasn't even standing there.

"You're kidding," my aunt chuckled.

"Nope, but don't say a word. The minute we encourage him, he'll put it away." Elena stuffed the scarf into her bag on the dresser by the front door.

"Psychology major." Jenna pointed at herself. "Check that." Her amused expression disappeared when she turned around and saw me, still standing by the dining table with my arms crossed. She shrugged apologetically, hoisted up her own bag on her shoulder and grabbed her jacket. Elena looked at her phone sadly, and Jenna moved closer.

"And you and Stefan?" Update?" Here we go again, I rolled my eyes behind them. Elena kept ignoring me.

"He knows how I feel and where I stand. And I know where he stands, but it doesn't matter. He's leaving, moving away." Good riddance! Like she deserved happiness after brutally assaulting me! Wait, it was the other way around… Well, she still yelled at me! So.

"Where's he going?" Jenna asked.

"I've stopped asking questions." Elena opened the front door. "The answers get scary."

"Oh." Jenna looked back at me and waved for me to follow. I rolled my eyes again; Elena was clearly going all in on ignoring me. What was the use? She even tried shutting the door in my face, and would have hadn't I caught it and been able to keep it open, being stronger and all. We stared at each other for a moment, both scowling, before Jenna looped her arm in mine and led me away with them. Two could play the freezing out game! Let Elena get a taste of her own medicine.

"Yours leaves, mine returns." Jenna sighed as she dragged me with her. Although I had no idea who she was talking to, there was just the two of us there. Nothing but air on the left side of me.

"Logan?" asked the air. Which I couldn't hear!

"He's back." Jenna stated.

"Ugh," said the air. _How odd._

"I didn't let him pass the front door."

"Did you at least slam it in his face?" I asked Jenna hopefully. I'd never supported her relationship to that cheating dickhead; not back during high school and _certainly_ not recently.

"I _hope_ you slammed it in his face," the air beside me said, clearly it was hearing me just as much as I was hearing it.

"Ah, medium slam," Jenna admitted.

"Three-strike rule, Jenna," the air continued. "You're not even allowed to watch the news. Ignore him completely."

"'Cause that's really mature!" I muttered, to no one in particular.

"Exactly," Jenna spoke. Had she began ignoring me too? Or was she referring to something else… I didn't dare look at her to confirm it. "No more Logan 'Scum' Fell."

"Amen to that!" I said and bumped my hip into hers, causing her to let out a laugh. And I _did not_ see the air rolling its eyes at me!

As soon as I'd jumped into Jenna's car, I saw Elena's vehicle quickly drive off.

"You're both equally mature." Jenna sighed as she got in, but I could hear that she was finding this a tad bit amusing.

"I don't know what or who you are talking about," I claimed and fastened my seatbelt. Jenna shook her head.

"So, where are you going?" she asked, turning in her seat as she backed us out from the driveway.

"The Grill, please," I replied. Jenna huffed, but smiled as we drove down the street lined with perfect white, picket fences.

"First day today?"

"No, I gotta get through an introduction on how everything works first. It'll take all day, but I won't even get paid for it!" My sigh may have been a little overdramatic, but guess whose sister was the queen of drama and over-the-top reactions.

"Well, you could swing by the school tonight," Jenna suggested. "If you wanna clear things out with Elena."

"You mean ' _the air'_?" I corrected. Jenna laughed. "I'll think about it," I gave her and let my gaze wander over the huge houses that flashed past the moving car.

* * *

"And all you have to do is turn this tap, and–"

"I know how to work that." I smiled superiorly. I figured out how to get alcohol from the tap behind a bar a _long_ time ago. It was the first thing I recognized or understood since priorly during this _entire_ introduction.

The platina blonde girl who had guided me around the Grill all day, Bella, looked at me smugly. Her expression said ' _Oh! So THAT_ _you know. Why am I not surprised…'_ I grinded my teeth, but continued smiling the sweetest smile I could possibly muster for her.

"Well, that would conclude the tour, then!" Bella's shrieking voice stated; it didn't match the rest of her appearance _at all_. Tall, tanned, her platinum hair in a bob and a big black tattoo of a dragon whirling its way over her right upper arm. A little bitchy and a bit of a know it all too, but I could learn to live with that. The voice on the other hand… It chilled my very _bones_.

A nod from me had Bella continuing, her shriek echoing through the large room. Honestly, I was surprised that it didn't cause the glasses lined up behind the bar to explode in a rain of shards.

"Now that you know how everything works, you can begin your first day… let's see..." She flipped through the notepad in her hand. "The day after tomorrow. I'll hand you your working schedule then." She smiled and flashed her teeth, which matched her hair color perfectly. "How do you feel about working nights?"

"I'm perfectly fine with it. I actually prefer it."

"Perfect!" Bella exclaimed, her shrieking voice somehow managing to reach an even higher note. Was I imagining things, or did the window behind her shake a little? "You'll need some work clothes as well." Her brown gaze eyed me up and down. "Medium?"

"Probably." I shrugged. It always varied on the model of the clothing anyway.

"Plain purple t-shirt coming up!" She turned around and disappeared into the room behind the bar, while I rubbed my aching ears. Boy, this was going to be a challenge.


	10. To The Rescue

"There you are!" Jenna found me circulating a stand advertised working with photography in one of the high school's familiar hallways. Her eyes flew between the stand's sign and me, before she shrugged and led me away. Good old Jenna, always knew when to keep her mouth shut, unlike Elena… But I was here to try and make amends with her, be the bigger person and all that shit. "I'm glad you could make it."

"I heard rumors of free food," I informed, just as we passed a locker I remembered pressing a guy up against for a make out session to earn points for a contest that the school had arranged for the different courses. Back then, I'd sacrificed all to win the thing. Now, I couldn't remember how the competition had turned out.

"Oh no!" Jenna grunted from my side, and turned us around in one rapid motion. Although her effort wasn't fast enough to prevent me from getting a glimpse of a grinning reporter with the receding hairline, dressed casually and busying himself with chatting up some students with a charming smile on his face.

"What is he doing here?" I wheezed through clenched teeth.

"I don't wanna stick around to find out!" Jenna answered in an equally strained tone, increasing our speed.

As we passed a classroom I vaguely remembered having had French in, I caught sight of Elena and Stefan, and although it killed me, I dragged Jenna back to it. I didn't want to see my sister, but this time Jenna's ex-boyfriend problem was a bigger priority than my stubbornness.

"Hide me," Jenna quickly told Elena, barricading herself between the two of us, peering over my shoulder back towards the corridor. My sister simply gave me a confused look, even she realizing that a temporary truce was necessary. Or maybe she didn't want to seem like a crazy bitch in front of her boyfriend; oh, I mean ex-boyfriend.

"The Scumbag is present," I answered for Jenna, who was clearly still being paranoid, thinking he would burst in through the door behind me at any second.

"Logan's here?" Elena sighed and her whole being suddenly radiated compassion and a shared understanding for idiotic men. I gave Stefan a suspicious look. His mood had abruptly changed to worry.

"Wait, Logan Fell?"

"The one and only!" I confirmed. Jenna made a gagging noise. "Get it together woman!" I urged my aunt and elbowed her lightly, as Stefan out of nowhere decided to run out of the room, a perplexed Elena following closely behind. When I tried to drag Jenna along with me to follow them, she refused to go and shook her head violently.

"Hell no!"

"It's the only way out. Or do you wanna be stuck in here if he enters?" I pulled with a little more force, and this time she reluctantly followed.

"Jenna!" Logan called out the second my aunt sat her foot in the corridor. She gave me a murdering look. Oops! "Are you dodging me?"

"It's a form of self-preservation," she told him coldly. Logan just kept staring at her, he seemed…off. His cold stare turned to me for a moment.

"Parka, I heard you were back in town. Shame it took so long to run into you." I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him; the least bad thing I could think of doing to him, by the way. I really hated that bloody nickname.

"And I heard you left. But sadly, that doesn't seem to be true anymore." I folded my arms over my chest and refused to break our eye contact.

"Always so charming," he muttered. I narrowed my eyes.

"Um, Elena, why don't you guys go somewhere else?" Stefan suggested cautiously. Logan moved his stare to Jenna, or more correctly, to her neck, which gave me a chance to see Stefan exchange a look of a bigger meaning with Elena.

"Let's go," she quickly spoke and grabbed Jenna's arm, pulling her away.

"Gladly," I huffed and moved to follow them, making sure I bumped into Logan's arm on my way past him. Hard.

He furiously swung around to grab my arm in an iron grip, inhumanly strong, and I saw the familiar veins play under his eyes. Quickly I gathered myself from the shock, but Stefan had already taken a step towards us. Always so protective, that one.

"Careful, Logie. You wouldn't wanna blow your cover, now would you?" I raised a teasing eyebrow. He grunted. Ripping my arm free from his grip with one quick and harsh motion, I stepped closer to hiss into his face: "Jenna's off limits, vamp."

"And who's gonna stop me?" Logan asked, confidently. Too confident, for my liking. Stefan cleared his throat, reminding us of his presence.

"I could take you down right here and now without his help," I fumed, releasing what prowled beneath my guarded surface, whilst nodding my head towards Stefan. Logan's eyes turned red by the threat, the veins growing larger.

"Parker," Stefan warned. He had to say my name twice before I took a reluctant step back, letting him take care of the scum. Afterall, Stefan would probably be better at not causing a scene whilst taking down Logan than I ever would. Discretion had never been my middle name at this school.

As I backed away into the crowd of students, I resisted the urge to give Scumfell the finger. He seemed inclined to be feeling the same urge.

All too quickly, I found Jenna and Elena standing in the middle of the next hallway, and managed to catch the last bit of their conversation.

"Listen to me very carefully. Do not, under any circumstances, talk to him again. I'm serious, Jenna. Like, ever!" Elena urged our strawberry blonde – and at the moment very much bewildered – aunt. In that moment, the new history teacher happened to slip by with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his pants.

"Hey, Elena. Jenna." He turned to greet in turn, granting my aunt the most of his attention. "Parker, nice to see you again," he said politely.

"Alaric." I nodded, casting Jenna a look, but she was too occupied with thoughts of Logan to notice it.

"Hi, Mr. Saltzman," Elena greeted, mannerly. When Jenna finally turned, distracted from her thoughts of exes, a smile instantly settled on her face as she began a flirty conversation with the teacher.

"Excuse us," I spoke up and grabbed Elena's arm, pulling her with me while she stood for the courteous smile. As we turned a corner into the next corridor, her smiled dropped, along with the tone of her voice.

"I think Logan's a–"

"Vampire," I finished for her as I continued dragging her towards the exit, on the lookout for either Stefan's familiar high hair or Logan's cold smirk.

"Wait. How did you know?"

"I may or may not have pissed him off enough to nearly make him want to eat me," I spoke carefully.

"What?" Elena let out. She quickly went on to sigh. "Why am I not surprised…"

I stopped and turned to face my sister. "If you're still pissed–" I began

"I'm talking to you, aren't I?" She crossed her arms and shot her hip out.

"And I'm so flattered by it, your majesty." Scoffing, I made a faint, mockery bow.

"You're unbelievable!" Elena snorted and threw her arms out in an exaggerated gesture. Cheez! Drama queen much? "Even when there's real danger, you just can't help yourself!"

"Well, excuse me then!" I shot back at her. "I'll just leave you and your boyfriend to take care of the murderous vampire all by yourself. Cause you clearly can't stand a third party helping!"

"I could if it weren't so darn stubborn with its decisions!" Elena snapped from between gnashing her teeth.

"Drop my damn job choice! We have bigger problems," I took a step closer and hissed at her.

"You're the one who brought it up!" Elena shot back. It was then that I realized we were still standing in the middle of a crowded hallway, and people were beginning to throw weird looks our way.

Once again, I grabbed Elena roughly and pulled her away with me. Soon, I found a door leading outside and pushed it open with my hip, hauling her out towards the parking lot behind the school.

"Bitch!" We were down to name calling now, I was really beginning to lose it.

"Oh, mature!" Elena's gaze stopped at something behind me, and I turned around to see Stefan on the phone by a railing that separated us from the rows of cars. Elena suddenly became very quiet.

"Afraid to speak up now that broody lover boy can hear you?" I snapped. She answered with a warning look, before leaving me by the door to approach Stefan. What was he doing out here anyway? He was suppose to take care of Logan, he couldn't have done that already.

I threw a look at the door, then one at Stefan and Elena now busy talking, before I ducked inside the school again.

* * *

It wasn't hard to find Logan. Even as a vampire, he didn't notice me shadowing him through the halls. He mostly talked to his 'admirers', or whatever you'd like to call them. Otherwise, nothing vengeful, violent or out of the ordinary.

Except for when he approached Sheriff Forbes, standing in front of the stand for broadcast journalism. By the looks of it, he meant to threaten her. If I were to guess, she probably knew about both his death, and had probably had a hand in covering it up, because she was clearly surprised to see him again; grabbed her gun in its holster and all. She had good reasons too, considering Logan's angry and crazy eyes when he whispered something in her ear. Whatever he said couldn't have been good, given Liz's terrified look following Logan as he left, and the fact that she instantly grabbed her phone to call for backup.

"Get a backup team to the school immediately. Keep it within the circle. It's a V5," I caught her speaking quickly and collected as she walked past my hiding place. Casually leaning against the wall, observing the medical stand opposite from me, I easily reached to slip out her gun from its holster as she hurried away, too shaken up to notice.

Quickly, I tucked the weapon into the back of my jeans, smoothing down my brown leather jacket to make sure it covered the gun's shape nicely, which would have been obvious with only my white, V-necked t-shirt on. Lucky me that it was cold enough to wear a jacket inside this damn high school building.

Even though I had many opportunities to take Logan out, I had to get him away from the crowd to not draw too much attention to myself. His clear target? Revenge against the Sheriff. Now, what better way was there to achieve that than by kidnaping her daughter?

My predicted theory turned out to be correct.

Shadowing him outside, I damn near lost him, hadn't Logan stopped his car to chat up Caroline, probably offering her a ride. As he was too busy watching her get in to notice, I slipped a small, round, black object out of my pocket and as I passed behind the vehicle I pressed it onto the back rear end of his car.

Swiftly, I kept on walking and moved to stand and lean against an outer wall of the school building. From my spot, half-hidden in the shadows, I saw how Logan slammed Caroline's head against the car window, knocking her unconscious, before he drove away with her. A small part of me scowled at the sight, but I knew there was a bigger picture to see.

My previous line of work had required me to be able to make tough decision and know what type of situations a sacrifice was needed or not. To always remain level-headed in the face of danger. And this was no different from that.

But that wasn't the only thing I'd brought with me from my former job, either. I'd also returned home with a few nifty tricks up my sleeve, like the GPS-app I now opened on my phone. The tracking device that I'd placed on Logan's car was moving away from my location. By the looks of how quickly the little red dot that was him moved across the screen, Logan probably didn't pay any attention to the signs informing of the speed-limit; yet another hit for the Sheriff.

Now, all I had to do was find Elena fast and get her car keys. Something I wish I'd thought of a little earlier. Either way, I really needed to get my own car soon.

Thankfully, it wasn't as hard to find my sister as I'd originally thought; she was stressfully hurrying through the halls, Stefan close to her back, as a protecting shield. I would never be able to stand that.

"There you are!" Elena exclaimed as she spotted me. "You can't just disappear like that, not now with Logan–"

"I found him," I cut her off with. Elena didn't look pleased at my interruption of her lecture, but Stefan spoke up before she could express it. However, she probably wouldn't have said anything with him by her side. I got the feeling she didn't feel like advertising her slightly bitchy attitude, which I was so very familiar with by now, in front of Stefan.

"Where?"

"He drove away." I sighed and added, a little reluctantly, knowing the reaction I would soon get: "...with Caroline." I squinted my eyes to blur Elena's furiously worried face. She turned her shocked gaze to desperately look at Stefan.

"Stay here," he ordered. Elena didn't protest, but I did.

"Hell no!" I grabbed Stefan's arm and pulled him back. "You have no idea where he is, but I do." I held up my phone and showed him the little moving dot that was Logan's car, speeding over the digital map of Mystic Falls.

"Did you GPS-track his car? How?" Elena asked, her brows furrowed in confusion. I ignored her question as Stefan made a move to walk away again.

"Hey!" This time, he didn't let me pull him back and simply continued walking, almost dragging me behind him as I refused to release his arm. I heard Elena's footsteps following closely behind us as we turned a corner into a dark and empty hallway. "You had your chance to take Logan down in the hallway before, now it's my turn!" Stefan finally stopped, causing Elena to bump into my back. Or so I thought, until whoever had bumped into me turned me around with a terrible speed, pinning me against a wall.

"And how exactly were you planning on doing that?" Damon asked with his forearm pressing on my upper chest, keeping me in place against the white, bricked wall.

"What are you doing?" Elena yelled. Glad to know my sister still cared for my well-being.

"Damon…" Stefan warned. The dark-haired vampire only threw the couple a glance before refocusing on me.

"With this?" he asked and slipped his hand behind my back, pulling the gun out and dangling it in front of my eyes, as well as my stunned sister.

"Parker!" Elena exclaimed, her eyes wide and her mouth gaping in shock. Damon smirked down at me. He wasn't that much taller when I had my high-heeled boots on, but the height difference was still noticeable; my forehead reaching just above his nose.

"No…" I said, my voice muffled. "With this." I pressed the barrel of Damon's gun, swiped from his own waistband only a moment ago, filled with wooden bullets against his stomach. We began a stare off. He cocked one eyebrow up, clearly believing I wouldn't pull the trigger. Oh was he wrong. My narrowed stare probably gave that away, since he slowly began removing his arm.

It was just for a second, and I might have imagined it, but he almost looked impressed. That I had pickpocketed the gun from him, without him even noticing? Or that I had placed a tracker on Logan's car? It could have been either, since Damon turned to Stefan to ask where the sleazebag. Stefan avoided his gaze and nodded towards me. I pulled out my phone without letting my eyes ever leave Damon, the gun in my hand still pointed at his chest.

"He's on his way out of town," I spoke coldly, my stare fixated on Damon. A thick silence landed over us, and it was broken by the last person expected.

"This is a waste of time," Elena burst out. "Caroline is with him! Who knows what he'll do to her!"

"We can't have blondie being hurt." Damon spoke, still staring at me. "Now can we?" I repressed the urge to pull the trigger. Of course he was referring to how I'd threatened him to stay away from her. Words I should've known would come back to haunt me.

"Parker, just let them save her," Elena pleaded, as Damon's gaze challenged me. The gunshot would echo through the school, and the backup Liz had called for earlier would probably come running.

Slowly, I lowered the gun. With my jaw clenched tight, I looked at Elena, before grudgingly handing the weapon back to Damon.

"Tid for tad." He smirked and gave me back Liz's stolen weapon. When I took it, he grabbed my hand to look at my phone one last time.

"Elm Street," Damon told Stefan over his shoulder. He held onto my hand a little longer, something unreadable in his eyes, before both of the Salvatore brothers disappeared in a flash.

"Thank you," Elena spoke up. For not saving her friend? For not even being allowed to have a part in it? I actually wanted an apology more. But maybe I was the one who should be handing those out tonight. After all, that was the original idea behind going here to begin with. Although I didn't feel like it anymore.

I grunted as a response, turning to leave, but my sister grabbing my arm prevented me from doing so.

"You do realize that the questions are piling up for you by the minute?" Elena spoke, lowly. "Like how you even had a tracking device. I've only ever heard of those in movies or books. And how you know how to handle a gun. Do I even want to know? Parker, what did you do while you were gone?" Elena's voice was soft, but not even her gentle and concerned approach would make me spill this secret. At least not right now, in the middle of a hallway at the high school. I turned my head slightly, not daring to look my sister in the eye, settling for her shoes instead.

"Stefan seems just like your type of guy," I muttered. "You should just tell him how you feel, instead of waltzing around like a lovesick puppy." My bitter tone probably ruined that a bit. Nevertheless. "He clearly feels the same. So just stop focusing that being together is dangerous or 'wrong' or whatever." Cliche vampire story much? "A helpful tip for you there." Elena's grip around my arm loosened at my words, giving me the perfect chance to quickly escape, leaving her stunned in the dark hallway.

* * *

After reassuring myself that Jenna was fine – the history teacher was no longer chatting her up, but at least Logan hadn't gotten to her before he snatched Caroline – I went home.

Just as I threw myself down on my couch, face first, my phone began buzzing. Grunting into the couch's cushion, I pulled it out, rolled over and laid on my back, before checking the display. With a frown, I slid the little green icon of a phone across the screen.

"Elena?"

"Parks!" she half-screamed, half-whispered on the other end. "You need to pick me up!" I sighed, bringing my hand to my forehead to massage it.

"Why?" Hadn't we had enough of each other for one night? Time to recharge some batteries before our next encounter.

"I found a picture." Elena's breathing was quick and shallow. "I look exactly like her, Parks!" I stopped my massaging. Attention piqued.

"Like who?"

"Katherine!" Elena wheezed. Panic wasn't far away for her, but there was enough anger in her voice for me not to worry too much.

"Where are you?" I asked and rose up, moving to grab my good old, dark brown, leather jacket from the coat hanger by the front door.

"At the Salvatore boarding house." She paused. "I… I took your advice." I stopped dead and let my mouth drop open.

"You did it, didn't you?"

"Yes…" my sister said, a little reluctantly. "But then I found the picture of Katherine."

"Afterwards? Ouch!"

"My car's got a flat tire," Elena spoke, pretending she hadn't heard my comment. A sound that suggested Elena had just kicked her car's said flat tire erupted from the other end. "I'm stuck here." She was near desperation, no doubt about it.

"You ran out on him while he wasn't in the room, didn't you?" I hurried down the stairway, but slowed my steps as I went past my landlord's apartment, speeding them up again once I'd passed. Elena responded with some muffled words. "That's my sister! I'm so proud of you!"

"Can you just hurry over here?" Elena begged, utterly defeated. "I don't know what I'll do once he notices that I'm gone and starts looking for me." Kindly, I chose to not point out to her that since Stefan was a vampire he would probably notice and find her before I even got there, no matter how fast I was. However, that didn't have to mean I wouldn't at least try to get there before that happened.

"Don't worry, I'll be right there," I told my sister calmly as I stepped out onto the street and began walking along it. "Hang in there." I pressed the call away and allowed my gaze to roam over my surroundings, spying for a car. Since that was the only problem: I didn't have one. However, the possibilities were endless when you knew how to hot-wire one.

A dark blue volkswagen golf caught my eye, and became the winner. It had one of those nice, old locks that you needed a key for, which meant that I could pick the lock; much better than having to break a window to get in.

Pulling out a hairpin from the pocket of my jacket, I squatted down to stick it into the keyhole, whirling the small pin around a bit to try to feel the locking pattern of the key. There was no exact science to it, more like pure luck and some skill; both something I had. The lock clicked and I opened the door, silently hoping that there was no hidden alarm that would be set off. I was in luck.

Ten minutes later, I was on the road on my way to my sister's rescue. Truth be told, I actually felt a little flattered that it was me, her bitchy older sister, that Elena had called when she was in trouble. And even whilst we were fighting! It made the gesture even more sweet.

My phone buzzed, letting me know that it had received a text. I fished it out of my back pocket and looked down at it for just a second, and all I managed to see was Elena's name before I looked up at the road again, facing the sight of a figure suddenly standing in the middle of the road.

There was no time to hit the brakes. All I could do was try to avoid running over the man. I jerked the wheel drastically to the right, a little too forcefully it seemed, as the car veered and even began rolling.

Whilst spinning, I lost count on how many turns it did before it finally stopped, upside down. Of course. My head was pounding, and I could already feel a stinging pain from the small cuts the broken glass from the car's windows must have caused. When I coughed, my lungs felt beaten, which matched the rest of my body's bruised state perfectly. However, after a quick check of the feel of my body, I came to the conclusion that I'd managed to avoid any serious injuries.

A movement outside of the car seized my attention, and when I turned my head to the right I saw how the figure I had hit slowly began to crack its bones back in place. When it was done, it got to its feet as if nothing had happened. And began walking towards me.

I should have hit it head on.


	11. NOT a Damsel in Distress

TThe silhouette of the figure was coming closer and closer, until I could see nothing but its black boots; robust sole, probably a size nice. Quickly, my brain sorted through this information, casting it aside when it realized it did me no good in my current situation of being trapped in a car turned upside down.

But a notice that, however, was useful to keep in mind was one I noted as the figure bent down next to my broken car window, exposing his clearly male face to me. His black hood was up, but even so I saw tufts of brown hair surrounding a squarish-shaped face with a pair of brown eyes in the middle of it. They seemed to widen, perhaps with realization, before he suddenly sped away, leaving me unharmed in the car.

What now?

My gaze beginning to turn slightly foggy around the edges had me squinting in a feeble attempt to scout and make sure he was really gone. The chances that the vampire was just playing with me crossed my mind; the bastards always seemed to have a habit of doing that with their so called 'food'. Oh wait, now I was referring to myself as food? Just great! Clearly, I'd hit my head a lot worse than initially believed.

Another whooshing sound of a speeding vampire had me ripped from my thoughts and flicking my head in its direction, expecting the Hood to have returned. When I saw who it actually was, I placed a hand to my chest with relief, soon dropping it to instead hold my aching head, where the pain had turned even worse by that rapid movement.

"Hey, you okay in there?" Damon inquired.

"Eh, I've been better," I admitted. It came out sounding weak.

"You look stuck."

"No shit, Sherlock." Clearly, the sarcasm wasn't working for me or my raspy voice right now. Instead, the world was spinning faster and faster, and every word coming out of my mouth hurt all the way through my throat and down into lungs.

Tugging at my seatbelt, Damon yet again confirmed the obvious, before quietly but firmly instructing me to put my hands to the roof. As I obeyed – without questioning, which should be saying something about my state – a weird mess of thoughts buzzed around my mind.

Was the roof still the roof? Shouldn't it be the floor now? Given that the car was upside down. Did it mean that the roof now counted as the floor; or – since we were outside – even the ground? Truly, I must have hit my head badly.

"You ready?" Damon called me back to the present. Blinking slowly, I watched my hands pressing down on the roof slash floor, and nodded at him. "One," he began counting slowly and clearly, forcing my attention to him and my task before he quickly finished, "two, three!" The seatbelt easily snapped at his vampire strength, and my hair had barely grazed the roof slash floor before he'd caught me. "There we go." I felt my body being pulled out of the wreckage, and soon my feet were touching the paved road. Even as I guided what strength of mine that remained to go to my feet and legs and keep me standing, it still only resulted in my legs caving in under me and Damon once again having to catch me.

Quickly, my focus was redirected to trying to keep my heavy eyelids open, to such an extent I just barely caught Damon's voice calling my name. And maybe asking me how I felt? If so, then the answer would've been horrible! Although, not going to lie, I'd been worse. Don't complain about pain until you've lived through a bomb exploding.

"Parker?" Damon forced my attention with. I felt his hand lightly grab my chin, and I really, really tried to force my eyes open. Succeeding, a hazy image of a slightly concerned face hovering a few inches over me was what I could focus on, for but a moment. By Damon's lips moving, I came to the conclusion that my hearing had apparently given up as well. Whilst smiling slightly at his concerned gaze and the gentle arm wrapped around my waist to keep me from hitting the hard ground, I suddenly remembered my purpose for this midnight drive.

"Elena!" I whispered with as much force as I could muster – not very much, that was – before my consciousness faded.

Despite blackness having swept in, however, I could've sworn I felt a hand gently stroking my forehead, before a feeling of being as light as air filled my entire being and I drifted away completely.

* * *

I awoke with a jerk. But it took me a moment or two to understand why. Until I heard a car's roaring engine and once again felt the vehicle jump slightly as it drove over another bump in the road. It had to be a country road then, a paved street in a town would never be this bumpy. But I couldn't for the life of me remember why I would be in a moving car on a rural road! Then it hit me, at the same time as the pain, actually.

Groaning, I slowly opened my eyes whilst carefully moving around a bit in my seat. The bright light hit my face, and I moaned while trying to shield myself from it. Since I had nothing but my hands for this covering, I wasn't very successful.

"Morning!" a chipper voice exclaimed from my left. Slowly, I turned my head and squinted my eyes at the figure in the driver's seat next to me.

"You dick."

"Not a morning person, huh?" Damon smirked and glanced over at me. I simply grunted. "I figured as much."

Outside the car, green meadows encircled by barbed wire fences flashed by, and even further away from the road a forest could be hinted. Yep, definitely a country road. Still:

"Where the hell are we?"

"Georgia," Damon, just as cheerfully, replied. Carefully, I turned to look at him.

"You're kidding." It was as much a question as a demand.

"I'm really not." The amusement in Damon's voice was hard to miss, so he was probably being serious about our location, then. Damn.

"Okay… Why?" I sighed and rubbed my forehead, pinning my eyes shut. A blinding headache had decided to appear, and the car's jumpy trip over the several bumps in the road wasn't exactly helping in reducing it.

"Oh, you'll just have to wait and see."

"Ha, ha." I forced my eyes open, or at least managed to squint them, to throw a murdering glance his way. My body ached, my lungs felt like two ruptured balloons, and the throbbing headache was indeed getting worse and worse by every jump the car made. I needed some air. Stat. "Pull over," I demanded.

"That's not gonna happen."

"I said," I began slowly, viciously, "pull over!" My voice reached a high, worth applauding by even Bella, but it didn't make my hard tone any less firm. Damon rolled his eyes, but still drove to the side of the road.

Once the car came to a stop, I practically kicked the door open to reach the fresh air as fast as possible. Instantly, I doubled over and forced a deep breaths into my lungs, trying to make my heart rate slow down.

The familiar whooshing sound of a vampire was heard, but I held up my hand, stopping Damon before he got a chance to support me or ask how I felt or whatever the heck he had been planning on doing. With my behavior quickly switching, I couldn't blame the guy for being a little worried. But never would I need someone to come and help or rescue me; I was pissed enough about Damon doing that when I'd been drunk, and again last night after my car crash. Actually, thinking about it, I sure as hell wasn't going to give him another opportunity to repeat the act!

"I'm fine," I muttered, straightening up. Damon didn't look convinced, but when I refused to elaborate, he shrugged and dropped the matter.

"If it makes you feel any better, you don't have any broken bones. I checked." Damon's smirk as he leaned against his light blue car with his arms folded over his chest was enough to confirm he'd both heard and meant the underlying sexual aspect of his statement. No matter, I was simply too drained of energy to scold him for it.

"How reassuring," I only mustered up with a stiff posture. Then, my buzzing phone interrupted us.

Even as jumpy as I was from everything that had happened, I thought myself collecterd enough to not react to my phone vibrating from my backpocket, but it had me flinching regardless. Pulling it out, I sighed when I saw the cracking pattern on the display, almost similar to a spider's web; how the thing could still work was actually perplexing. I could only barely make out the name Elena on the screen, but nonetheless wrinkled my nose at the sight of it. Boy, she would freak when she heard about the car crash. Truth be told, I wasn't even sure if I was ready to take that just yet.

As if Damon had read my mind, he asked: "Are you gonna answer that?"

"Well…" I continued staring at the display, picturing Elena ready to yell at me from the other end as she impatiently waited for me to accept the call. But before my mind had anymore time to imagine my sister's scolding, probably alternated with some worried words that her damn compassionate side always had to butt in with, Damon pushed himself off the car and slipped my phone from my grasp.

"Parker's phone," he answered in a casual tone. I couldn't hear the other end of the conversation, but the pieces I gathered from Damon were enough for me to make an elaborate guess. Right about now, Elena or Stefan was interrogating Damon about my well-being, or something of the sort

"Oh, she's right here. Perfectly fine," Damon spoke with a glance over at me.

More attempts at pressing information out of him were then made; maybe even a threat? At least by the way Damon's eyebrows twitched slightly gave me that particular idea.

"Yeah, I don't really think she wants to talk to you," Damon said with an acted troubleness to his voice, as if he really didn't want to be the one to break these news, although my guess was he was rather enjoying it. Anyhow, he didn't even have to search my face for confirmation about his statement, it was pretty obvious. "No, neither of you two." So the phone was changing users now.

Suddenly, Damon withdrew the phone to hold it a few inches away from his ear with a roll of his eyes. He tried opening his mouth to say something into the device, but whoever was rambling on clearly wouldn't let him interrupt. Eventually, he just hung up and turned to me.

"You're right. That sister of yours sure can talk."

"I've had front row tickets to confirm that more than once," I scoffed. The smirk on Damon's face was a little too victorious, so I decided to erase it. "I still wanna know where we're going. And, might I add, I'm not so keen on being in Georgia to begin with. Or, you know, being swept away from my life. I actually have things to do!" I finished with crossing my arms to underline my words. Damon tilted a questioning brow at me, but I didn't budge.

"Trust me, you're not gonna be disappointed by where we're going. Besides, what do you have to lose? Wanna go back home to face your sister instead?" He did make a compelling argument there…

"Fine!" I muttered, with reluctance. "But you better be right," I added and moved to get back into the car, speaking to Damon over its roof.

"Oh, trust me. I know who I'm dealing with," he smirked.

* * *

Of course, the damn Damon was right.

We drove into a small community – finally some paved roads – and pulled over by a beige building with an equally beige awning over the double doors and the words 'Bree's Bar' written in cursive, turquoise letters. As I stepped out of the car, I made sure to avoid Damon's gaze.

"Well?" he inquired with a smug smirk.

"Oh, shut up!" I snapped back at him. Meeting his gaze, I did it with a roll my eyes. "Fine! You were right. Happy?"

Damon's smirk said it all, and even though it was getting on my nerves, I crossed the road and entered the bar with him. Elena wasn't around and I was feeling rather rebellious since she'd poured out my stash of liquor. One or two drinks couldn't exactly hurt.

The bar's decor was dark. The walls clad in a dark wooden panel, and the bar itself following the same theme with its black counter. The only source of light in the room, besides from the windows – but they were too dirty to let in that much sunlight anyway – came from the spotlights showing off the liquor lined up on the wall behind the the bar.

The crowd was pretty slim, and the bar seemed to only have one person tending to it; a tall woman with massive black hair and cocoa-colored skin. Maybe that was Bree? She certainly seemed to be the kind of person who would name their bar after themselves, given the confident way in which she moved. Also, the bar wasn't old enough to have been passed down generations to her, it may be dark and old-looking, but the pictures around the walls could only be traced as far back as to 1994, I noted.

However, I didn't have more time to dwell on my theories for much longer, as the woman, the presumable Bree, caught sight of Damon.

"No. No, it can't be! Damon?" She took a leap up onto the bar counter and swung herself around before landing on the other side with amazing graze, especially considering her height. "My honeypie." She placed both hands on either side of Damon's face, and I could only watch them in shock, my mouth hanging open, as they tried to eat each others faces.

Well, that sure was one way of greeting someone. Although, personally, I prefered a handshake over a full on make out session, like the one happening before me.

* * *

"So, how did he rope you in?" Bree asked as she poured up a shot for me.

After she and Damon had ended their face-eating, Bree had announced Damon as the man who broke her heart and crushed her soul for the entire bar to hear, before toasting to this. She was a bit of a wildcard, or just straight up crazy. I hadn't decided yet.

But this could be fun.

"I prefer to think it was I who roped him in," I answered with a smirk and glanced over at Damon. He chuckled and emptied his glass.

"Found yourself a keeper here, I see," Bree told Damon and flashed me a smile. "Still, I wouldn't hesitate from breaking his heart," she whispered to me with a wink, turning to tend to another customer. Even with her laid-back, easy attitude something felt off, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. As I observed Bree's movement, I tried scouting for clues that would confirm my suspicious feeling, but without result.

"How did you two meet?" I instead asked Damon, honestly a little curious.

"College."

"You're educated? Herregud! Who would have thought."

"Don't mock me," Damon replied with a once-over, and I smiled teasingly. "I was more of a visitor than an enrolled student."

"So, you basically just 'visited' the campus then?" I checked with raised brows, not hiding my judgement.

"Pretty much." Damon nodded and swung his head back to empty another shot.

Peering over at Bree, I tried to get the image of Damon 'visiting the campus' out of my head. Euw. I got why he 'destroyed Bree's life, and ruined any and all chances of happiness' as she so poetically put it. She probably wasn't the only one he 'visited' either.

The thick-lipped woman drifted back to our end of the bar. "What did I miss?"

"How you two, apparently, met at college," I quickly filled her in as I kept ogling Damon.

"Oh, yes! It was about twenty years ago, when I was a sweet, young freshman, I met this beautiful man, and I fell in love. And then he told me about his little secret, made me love him more. Because, you see, I had a little secret of my own that I was dying to share with somebody." I raised my brows.

"She's a witch," Damon leaned over to whisper by my ear, his breath tickling my neck.

"Changed my world, you know," Bree flirted.

"I rocked your world," Damon replied with a smirk.

"He is good in the sack, isn't he?" She asked me, and I tried keeping a straight face. "But mostly he's just a Walk-Away Joe," Bree continued, turned to Damon. She swigged down another shot, and as her face returned to face him it was suddenly utterly cold. "So, what is it that you want?" The fun and games were apparently over.

Ignoring Bree's question, Damon pulled out my phone from the pocket of his black leather jacket. "It won't stop buzzing," he told me with a meaning look. "You should probably get it."

When something fun and interesting finally happened, of course he would want to be rid of me. Truth be told, I had gotten a little curious to why he'd driven all the way out here, and now when we were getting somewhat closer to the answer I was faced with this.

"Nah, I'm good here," I stated, resting my chin in the palm of my hand, looking between them with a grin.

"Parker." Damon nudged the phone closer to me. "Please." Despite the plea, there was a sharpness to his look, and I noted Bree surveying us closely from beyond the bar. Uh, fine! I knew when to pick my battles, and fighting him on this felt pretty useless.

Sighing, I snatched my mobile from of his grip to exit the bar.

"Say hi to Elena for me," he called after me, the old smirk undoubtedly back in place on his face already. I ignored it with a shake of my head, instead preparing myself for the oncoming apocalypse.

Once outside, I took a deep breath, pinning my eyes shut as I answered the call, hoping that this action would somehow shield me from the storm of words that was undoubtedly about to come crashing into my ear.

"Hello?" I opened with, with as much sweetness as I had within me. It didn't help.

"WHAT THE HELL, PARKS?" And there it was.

* * *

After the following ten minutes of being yelled at nonstop, I simply threw my phone onto the ground and stomped on it.

Damon Elena!

She scolded me for crashing a car and being sort of kidnapped by her boyfriend's crazy brother! Where was the frickin logic in that? I only crashed because I drove to help her. Heck! That technically made it her fault! But did I get a chance to say any of this? Oh no! Because the bloody woman wouldn't shut up for five seconds to allow me to open my mouth! UGH! I didn't even feel the slightest sorry about the fact that Stefan had been lying to Elena about how Katherine looked exactly like her. She had it coming!

I really wanted to punch something, but the only thing close enough was Damon's car, and I didn't exactly feel like getting my neck snapped.

"You okay?" I swung around to face the owner of the voice, muttering some nasty words about Elena under my breath. However, Damon caught each and every one of them thanks to his vampire hearing. He only smiled joylessly at me. "Siblings can be a pain in the ass."

"Preaching to the choir," I scoffed. "That bitch…" A reflection of light from the bar's windows caught my attention, and I glimpsed Bree bent over by a mixer, almost secretively talking into what could only be a phone. Weird.

Suddenly, I became aware of Damon still watching me. Oddly carefully.

"What?" I snapped at him. My anger was boiling up again.

"You look like you could use something to eat," he stated. "Come on." He inclined his head towards the bar, and without much of another choice I followed him inside.

Soon enough, two burgers with a sad excuse for a salad had been placed in front of us. It was first then I realized that I was starving. Come to think of it, I hadn't eaten anything since I stole some canapés from a stand at the high school advertising working in the culinary business. Prior to that, my only intake of food had been a mushy old sandwich I ate for breakfast yesterday. No wonder I was famished!

After removing the meat from my burger with a sigh, noticing Damon's frown and simply responding, "Vegetarian," to it, his brows instantly raising in understanding, I devoured every other little scrap of food on my plate. Once I was done, I glanced over at Damon's half-finished salad. He noticed my stare, but continued eating in a normal rate.

"You're a vampire. Do you really need to eat that?" I asked skeptically, my brows furrowed.

"You're just saying that because you want my food," Damon spoke in a knowing voice. "As long as I keep a healthy diet of blood in my system, my body functions pretty normally." Generously, he pushed over his bowl of french fries towards me. "Which means I can eat whatever I want." I accepted the offer by dragging the bowl a little closer and snatched a fry.

"I've never gotten that. You're dead. Your body shouldn't function at all."

"Thinking of anything specific?"

"Well, not exactly, but…" I sighed. This conversation… "Elena found a picture of Katherine," I informed.

Immediately, Damon froze. "Oh."

"Yeah. I'm sure you can imagine my sister's shock," I said with a faint snort. "But that's not the point. Clearly, Elena is descended from Katherine, but how come do they look exactly alike?" Damon paused his eating to study me.

"Here I thought, with all your pre-existing knowledge about vampires, you'd already know the reason to that, too."

Grumbling, I replied. "Well, I don't." A smirk appeared on his face. "That's why I'm asking, but if you're not willing to talk…" With my hands to the bar desk, I readied myself to stand up and leave the dick of a guy in my dust, but his hand laid on top of mine had me halting.

"Are you really curious to know," Damon began, both of us staring at where his hand rested, neither attempting to remove it, "or are you asking for someone else?"

"Both," I admitted, muttering, after a beat.

"Can't ask my dear old brother?" Damon checked, finally removing his hand to pick up an olive from his plate.

"My sister isn't exactly on speaking terms with Stefan at the moment," I informed tightly. "We'll see how long that lasts…" To this, Damon chuckled faintly. "Either way, care to give me an answer?" I pressed, still weighing my decision of whether to sit back down or not.

"I don't know." Damon shrugged, throwing the olive into his mouth. Huffing, I was more than ready to make my choice and leave.

"Thanks, real helpful," I scoffed, already half turned away.

"I mean it," Damon said, again hauling me back in. With a bit of reluctance, I rotated back to face him.

"What now?" I questioned impatiently. When he didn't reply, only making a pointed look between me and the stool next to him, I sat back down heavily with a sharp exhale.

"I actually don't know," Damon repeated, as I again reached for his fries. "That's more of a question for a witch," he pointed out.

"Well, then." I threw a glance at Bree, further down the bar chatting with some stiff-looking guy. "Good thing we happen to have one of those so close by."

"Someone jealous?" Damon teased, our fingers brushing against each other as we both went for the last of his fries. To my released snort, he grabbed my hand to lightly stroke my knuckle with an equally infuriating smirk. "Oh, don't you worry," he chuckled, and I ripped my hand from his grip. With a victorious smirk, he ate the fry under my firm observing.

"Do you always have to flirt?" I scoffed, squinting at him as he swallowed that very last fry. "Din lilla jävel," I added bitterly. Damon responded to my first comment with a smirk, before furrowing his brows slightly.

"I'm guessing that doesn't mean 'devilishly handsome and charming'."

"Nope," I confirmed with a satisfied grin.

"Here you go," Bree appeared to hand Damon a beer.

"Thank you."

"Ahem," I pointedly and loudly cleared my throat with as Damon took a sip. He leered at me, and I meaningly raised my brows. When he didn't move, I sighed. "Look, buddy, you dragged me out here, remember? Plus, I didn't bring my wallet. The least you can do is buy me a drink."

"Fair enough," Damon admitted with a little sigh, nodding at Bree, who placed a beer in front of me as well.

"Öl," I said and pointed at the beer in an instructive manner.

"What language are you even speaking?" Damon asked, slightly annoyed with my teasing.

"Swedish," I smiled and took a swig from the beer. I then raised my bottle at him. "Skål!" I declared. Damon only stared at me. "It means 'cheers'." We clinked our bottles together to then simultaneously take another swig. "You've lived for, what, 200 years? And never been to Sweden?" I asked in disbelief as I sat the bottle down on the counter with a soft thud.

"170 years, if I'm being picky," Damon corrected and peered over at me. "And no, I've never been to Sweden. It never really crossed my path, so to speak. More importantly, you clearly have. How and why?" I realized how exposed I had just made myself, and here I had just been teasing him with my knowledge. Well, fuck.

"Oh, you know." I shrugged nonchalantly. "I've traveled a lot, popped up a little here and there." The lie formed so easily in my head and just slid its way right off my tongue. However, Damon didn't look too convinced. Instead, he readjusted his place on the bar stool and scrutinized me thoroughly.

"You know, I can hear you heartbeat," Damon informed. I made sure to show no reaction forming on my face, not even as he went on. "I'll admit, you're good at this. But it still jumps slightly when you lie." He tilted his head to the side, awaiting my comeback with the watchful gaze of a predator.

For once, I had nothing. It was a new sensation to come up blank, one I hadn't experienced in years; my mouth suddenly feeling dry and my stomach rumbling – a blame for the mushy salad to take. Usually, I was scary good at this, at playing games and pretending. So why was my mind completely blank now all of this sudden? The only thing popping up was the truth, and uttering that was unthinkable.

"I did travel to Sweden, among other places," I spoke with carefully chosen words. "But that's not how I picked up the language."

"Then how?" Damon inquired.

Something turned in my stomach, almost – no; it couldn't be! It nearly felt as if I wanted to tell Damon the truth. But that was just preposterous! I barely knew the guy! So what was this urge to spill the beans coming from? Those mad blue eyes that genuinely looked curious? Or the fact that this far along our little journey, we had more in common than I ever would've thought.

Annoying siblings who wouldn't stop bickering; check. An unhealthy love for alcohol and a slight obsession over french fries; check. Plus, now that I thought about it, we were both equally secretive about our lives and agendas. Again, check. But this hadn't stopped Damon from telling the – somewhat angled – truth about Katherine at the Founder's party. So, really, with all of this in mind, it wasn't so strange that I felt a temptation to pour out this particular life story of mine.

Thankfully, I was saved by Bree from making any rash decision, since she placed some generous customers right next to us, Before I knew it, the sky outside had darkened and my stomach was filled with shots. Yet they still kept on coming.

"Skål!" I exclaimed, and everyone around tried to mimic me, but their crappy pronunciation only had me turning grumpy. "Oh, screw it," I muttered.

"Cheers!" Damon filled in for me. Pretty kindly – if I do say so myself – I offered him a somewhat grateful smile, receiving a flirtatious wink in return. Quickly, I swigged down another shot, and couldn't help but laugh when Damon spilled some of his.

"Ha! I'm beating you!" I rejoiced and jokingly elbowed him. "Do you need a towel to clean that up?" I continued as the small – but drunk off their asses – crowd around us ordered another round.

"Sorry I can't unhinge my jaw like a snake to consume alcohol." Damon wiped his mouth clean using the back of his hand. "Besides, one of us needs to stay sober."

"Oh, we're way past that," I laughed.

"I can still carry you home. Again," Damon teased, and this time I elbowed him in the ribs a little harder. He just smirked as a new round of shots were being poured up.

The act had something buzzing in my body, whizzing in my blood, and instantly I decided that I needed a break from that smirk; the alcohol mixed with the easy atmosphere was making it look a little too charming and hard to resist.

A drunk, round girl next to me with brightly orange hair and arms covered with dark tattoos commented my high tolerance, and I smilingly turned to her, humbly waving off her statement. In a matter of minutes, I had managed to charm her enough to make her accept my invitation to play a game of pool, and thus leaving Damon and his dangerously charming smirk behind us.

After a few games, and some more shots, my hits at the ball had it flying away across the table a little too crookedly, even causing one to bounce and roll off to some dark corner once. When it was again my turn to aim, simply by stepping up to the side of the table with my staff in hand I knew my shot would be way off once more, I felt a light tap on my shoulder and turned to face the smirk which I had escaped what felt like hours ago.

"She's persistent." Damon held up his phone, and instantly I recognized Elena's number on the display. Actually, believe it or not, I had managed to forget all about my annoying sister for these last couple of hours. It had been real nice. What a shame good things must come to an end.

As I took the mobile from his hand, I leaned in close to whisper, "You just saved me from losing," before withdrawing to sway past him. Caught up in getting through the room without tripping as I was, I still didn't miss Damon's chuckle, nor his gaze following my back. About the time I reached the door did I fianlly feel myself be freed from its intensity.

"Yello!" I called into the phone, whilst struggling to find my jacket in the mess of outdoor clothing by the front door.

"PARKER!" Cringing, I held the phone a few inches away from my ear as I continued to dig for my brown leather among all the other seemingly similar coats. "I've been worried sick!"

"We talked, like, two hours ago. What's your problem?" I was practically devoured by all the jackets in my search for the one belonging to me. In the corner of my eye, I spotted Damon smiling at my effort as he sipped on what looked a whole lot like bourbon.

"Are you drunk?" Elena exclaimed as I finally found my jacket and held it up in triumph, but Damon had by then turned around and was chatting with Bree. Shrugging, I stumbled towards the door whilst trying to both put on my jacket and speaking into the phone at the same time.

"Perhaps slightly, yes. But what did you expect? You made me talk to Damon, sis. I needed the alcohol." I slurred a little, even I could tell that.

"You're just making up excuses!" Elena raised her voice a bit again, but seemed to instantly come to her senses. "But it's okay, Stefan and I talked…"

"You two made up and now you have all the answers you need about everything, don't you? What a shocking surprise!" I mocked, stumbling to have the phone fly out of my hand and land somewhere in the surrounding darkness of the street. Well, at least that meant I was spared of having to listen to Elena's response.

It was pitch black, but I still fumbled around for the mobile and tried to listen for a faint sound of Elena's lecturing voice. Instead, I heard a shoe sole twitching against the asphalt behind me. Halting instantly, I peeled my ears for the sound again. From behind, I felt two arms grab me by my waist, attempting to drag me backwards with a hand covering my mouth.

But my attacker was in for a surprise.

Rather than snatching me away without a problem, I put a stick in the plan by kicking my feet high up into the air whilst also shooting my head back, having my skull crash into my attacker's nose. I heard it crack pleasantly.

Instantly, my attacker released me, and quickly I moved to stably stand on my feet before wrapping my arm around their neck, moving my leg out of the way to turn and swing them into the ground with all my force and their weight combined. The attacker fell onto the asphalt with a loud thud – the dim light from a nearby streetlamp giving me enough of a good view to see that it was a guy; no surprise there – and, usually, that would have been it. Given he was a fairly heavy dude, a fall like that should've been hard enough to knock him out cold.

But, instead, a whooshing sound was heard, and I was swept away from the dark alley.

Once the world stopped spinning, I was basically thrown onto the ground, my forehead hitting the hard surface beneath me before I managed to roll and avoid the collision; that would certainly leave a mark. Quickly, whilst I was still a bit dazed, the man moved to grab my hands before bending an oblong piece of iron to wrap around my wrists and the base structure of some electric station he'd dropped me next to.

"Jeez, thanks dude," I huffed, jerking at my bonds with a glare at my attacker.

"It's so you don't get hurt. He is my target," the man spoke through clenched teeth.

"Well, it's a little late for that," I stated, spitting out some blood onto the paved ground.

"Anymore hurt," he corrected himself with. Then, the guy's head snapped to the side, as if listening to a sound only his heightened hearing could catch, and he disappeared in a flash.

"Jävla idiot!" I spat after him, pulling at my bonds once more. Really? Did it have to be iron?

Instantly, my struggling was halted when I heard a set of light footsteps approach. Shortly after, I spotted Damon walking around the corner of a nearby building and towards me.

"NO! Back away!" I yelled, which, thinking about it, probably wasn't the most clever thing to do, since the vampire from before flashed out with a baseball bat in his hands to knock Damon over. But hey! I was drunk and had just been ambushed. Give me a break!

With a scream of pain, Damon fell to the ground as the vampire restlessly continued to repeatedly pound the bat at every available body part he could get to, searching for weak spots to hit even harder. Apparently, I wasn't the only one with anger issues around here.

"Knock it off!" I belted from my chained place, pulling at the restraints again. One option did remain for me to free myself – one I'd learnt long ago but still never really felt like using. The option of breaking my thumbs to be able to bend my hands to slip out and escape my bonds.

Considering it for a second, a glance thrown Damon's way to see him still being beaten, I swore and twisted my hands to crack my thumbs out of place, biting down on a groan of pain, before I slid my hands out of the iron bonds that held them.

By the time I'd silently stood up, the vampire had stopped his beating to instead pour gasoline all over Damon, who laid bloody and beaten on the ground, barely moving. Grabbing a piece of wooden debris laying around – holding it as best I could with two broken thumbs aching – I quietly moved towards the vampires, hoping that the guy was too caught up with killing Damon to notice me.

Sadly, I wasn't so lucky.

Before I could get too close he turned around and flashed his fangs at me, and reluctantly I stopped.

"Who are you?" Damon grunted at the vamp.

"That's perfect." He shook his head bitterly. "You have no idea!"

"Oh! What did you do now, Damon?" I groaned, rolling my eyes to spot the male twitch at my words.

"He killed my girlfriend," the guy informed me over his shoulder, instantly refocusing all of his furious attention on Damon. "What did she do to you, huh?" He recklessly poured more gasoline over Damon. "WHAT DID SHE DO TO YOU?"

"Isn't that water under the bridge by now?" I tried, partly distracting and hoping to buy some more time, whilst honestly fishing for more clues to why this guy was so keen on killing Damon.

"My girlfriend went to visit Stefan, and Damon killed her. Got it?" he snapped at me, making it clear that his wound was very fresh.

"Lexi?" I glanced at Damon, who momentarily tried to get up, only to receive a bat shoved into his face. My brain was working on high speed. "I met her!" I blurted out, catching the guys attention again. "She was cool, even amazing. I understand why you'd wanna avenge her death. But this." I pointed at Damon. "This isn't the way to do it." The vampire followed my gesture, before letting his gaze return to my face. He was hesitating. Good. "He might be a total dick." I tilted my head to the side and pinned my eyes shut. "No, wait, let me rephrase that. He is a total dick. But if you kill him, then you're no better." I looked at the vampire pleadingly. "Be better. For her." Cheesy as fuck and taken straight out of my sister's book, yes, but it worked.

Casting the petrol can aside, the vampire moved to pick Damon up from the ground. With burning hatred in his eyes – detectable from all the way over here – he stared at him with fury for a moment, before throwing Damon into a brick wall with a grunt. The vampire's eyes flashed over his shoulder at me, and I only nodded, watching him disappear using his vamp-speed.

As soon as he was gone, I let out a sigh of relief and felt my whole body relaxing as I doubled over. Phew! Close one! Then, just as quickly, I straightened myself up again to make my way over to the grunting Damon.

"You're welcome!" I stated, holding out my hand for him.

Damon only stared at it, then allowed his gaze to wander up to my face and focus on me in an oddly manner, eyes open and gaping with some emotion I couldn't quite put my finger on. But as quickly as this had appeared, it was gone in a flash, and finally he grabbed my hand and allowed me to pull him to his feet. When the pain flashed from where he inevitably squeezed my thumb, I released a sharp grunt.

"I figured the chatty plan would work better than tackling him to the ground," I brushed my groan off with.

"I'm guessing you tried that already." Damon managed to grunt and smirk at the same time, but there was still a hint of that oddness in his blue eyes as he watched me. I decided to ignore it.

"Well, he did jump me in a dark alley. Can you blame me?" I smiled, but a concerned wrinkle had formed between my brows. "You look like shit," I stated.

"Thank you." Damon stretched out and eyed me up and down. "And you look awfully good for someone who was just kidnapped."

"Briefly kidnapped," I corrected him. "And I didn't escape without some injuries of my own." I held up my dislocated thumbs for him to see. Now it was his turn to get a slightly concerned wrinkle. Without hesitating, he bit into his wrist and held it out for me. I frowned at the oddly kind gesture, but said, "Is it really safe to mix blood and alcohol?"

"Do you care?" Damon half-laughed, half-groaned. Point taken, but the whole feeding-thing of vampirism – both being fed on and feeding off of one – just bugged me.

Trying to shrug it off, since I didn't like for Damon to know about this thorn in my side, I grabbed his wrist and pressed it to my lips. Instantly, the metallic blood taste entered my mouth and slid its way down through my throat. To my great surprise and relief, I didn't gag from having the thick substance fill my taste buds, but nonetheless I soon withdrew and took a step back, wiping my mouth clean from his blood by using the back of my hand.

The blood there on my skin – his blood – almost seemed to stare tauntingly back at me. Quickly, I shook it off and lowered my hand from my view. Instead, I came to face Damon carefully surveying my movements and face. That odd look of his was really starting to bug me.

"What?" I asked, snapping.

After another moment of staring, he replied, "You okay?"

"Super," I huffed out quickly, brushing my hand against my jeans. As soon as the stain of red settled on the fabric, my mind instantly went for ways to remove it. Did I have salt at home? Perfect for pesky blood stains; believe me, I knew. "Could we swing by a supermarket on the way back?" I said without raising my gaze from my pants. "I need to buy some salt."

When I finally did look up, Damon had merely raised his brows at my random comment.

"I need to take care of something first," he informed, suddenly gravely. "Then we can go."

* * *

When Damon emerged from the bar, a few minutes after having entering it with a determined look just as grave as before on his face, I had taken a quite comfortable seat on the hood of his car. He didn't exactly look pleased about it, but he had no time to protest before I opened my mouth.

"Ding, dong! The witch is dead!" I stated easily, with a tilt of my head to the side. Damon stopped in the middle of his step, gaping at me. Then he continued moving closer, and I noticed the tension set in his jaw.

"She ratted me out, what was I supposed to do?" Damon huffed.

"I'm not complaining, just stating the facts," I said with a raise of my hands, claiming my innocence. By this comment, Damon seemed honestly baffled, but instead of acting it out, he rolled his eyes at me, grabbed my arm and pulled me down from his car.

"Careful. Not a chair," he tsked, waving his finger disapprovingly in my face. I pushed it away with a smile, sweeping past him to get into the car.

Really, I was too satisfied with my dodgy feeling about Bree earlier having been correct, that I didn't even really care if Damon had ripped her heart out or not. Besides, it wasn't exactly like I hadn't done worse.


	12. Still The Same

"THERE YOU ARE!" Why did it always seem as if my sister was yelling at me? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Considering I was the older one?

I had barely even sat my foot down on the wooden floor in the hallway of the Salvatore boarding house – more like mansion – when my sister called my name from the top of the staircase to the right. Damon closed the front door behind us, and I turned to him with an almost begging look. Gee! I was truly desperate to turn to him for help. Especially after basically swearing to myself that I would never let him 'rescue' me again. That lasted long. He shook his head and – no! That bastard had an almost amused smile on his face!

That was it! Whatever understanding we had formed during our little road trip was officially over. Was I overreacting? Probably. Was I going to change my mind because I was aware of it? Nope.

Elena's stomping steps were heard as she tried to tear down the staircase with her petty sneakers on her way down. She stopped on the almost antique orange rug in front of me, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. Oh boy…

But, as a savior in need, the other Salvatore brother emerged after her and averted my sister's lecture.

"Parker!" Stefan greeted with a polite smile. "Are you–"

"Okay? Perfectly fine." I waved off. I had managed to forget that he also had the same worried tendencies that my sister possessed. "This guy on the other hand…" I spoke out of the corner of my mouth and pointed with my now perfectly healed thumb at Damon.

Both Stefan and Elena's gaze turned to the older Salvatore brother for the first time since he had entered the house. The gasoline smell had been fuming from him the entire car ride here, to the extent that I had even gotten used to the smell by now. Clearly, Stefan and Elena hadn't; they wrinkled their noses simultaneously.

"You should see the other guy," Damon brushed off and walked past them, abandoning me. Jävla förrädare.

When it was clear that Damon wasn't coming back to elaborate his answer, Stefan put a hand on Elena's shoulder and mumbled something. She nodded, and he left us to follow his brother. All men are apparently betraying pigs.

The second he was gone, Elena turned to me with a serious expression on her face.

"We need to talk." Uh-oh. Now that's never good.

"Did you fix your flat tire?" I questioned, almost desperately.

"No…" Elena furrowed her eyebrows. "But–"

"Well, what are we standing around here for then? Come on!" I turned on my heel to practically run out of the house before she could object.

It wasn't hard to find the enormous garage that came with the mansion, neither was breaking into it for, that matter. Vampires didn't seem to think they need a security system; good to know because…reasons. Quickly grabbing a toolbox from one of the shelves, a lifting jack from the floor, I ignored the suspiciously car shaped object under an old sheet and walked back out to my sister, who was standing next to her car with her arms still crossed disapprovingly in front of her chest.

"It really isn't that hard," I said and sat the toolbox down on the gravel driveway. "You have a spare tire in the back, right?" I pointed at the trunk.

"Yes, but–"

"Don't just stand around there then! Open the bloody car!"

"Parker, we really need to–" Elena tried.

"We can talk while I do this," I said stubbornly. "Come on now! Chop, chop!" I clapped my hands together, nodding exaggeratedly towards the car. Elena, finally realizing that I wasn't going to give this up, unlocked her car with a sigh.

Instantly, I began with opening the trunk to heave out the spare wheel, moving on to roll it away and dump it on the ground next to the the flat tire. Then, I put the lifting jack in place under the car and started pumping. Once it was at a reasonable height, I dug through the tool box for a wrench to loosen up the bolts that held the tire in place.

As I was busy doing all of this, Elena only stood frozen still and watched me. It wasn't until I had gotten the flat tire loose from the car, rolled it away and replaced it with the new one, that my sister finally spoke up.

"Ahem… Parks?" I stopped my movement of pumping at the lifting jack, lowering the car back down, and turned to face the brunette from my crouching place.

"Yes?" I answered and noticed the pain from the lactic acid that had formed in my thighs due to my squatting position by the car. I straightened up and wiped some oil mixed with dirt on my dark jeans. How did you get those stains out?

My musings about how to clean my jeans – debating throwing them away and buying new ones – were abandoned as I raised my gaze to spot Elena biting her lip, tapping her foot nervously whilst her gaze flew all around the place, never landing on anything for more than a second. It had been a while since I last saw her this troubled.

"What is it?" I tried sprinkling my voice with some concern as I tilted my head to the side.

"Well…" At first she hesitated, then, it seemed as if she made a decision. Elena straightened her posture and fixated her gaze firmly on me. "I have to tell you something, if I don't do it right now then things will get weird when I eventually do, but the thing is that I'm afraid that things will change between us, and I don't want that. You're my sister either way – and I love you! But here it goes…" The words came crashing out of her mouth, landing on top of each other. Elena took a deep breath and caught my gaze, holding it firmly with her warm, brown eyes. "I'm adopted," she spoke, surprisingly steadily.

I stared at her, losing perception for how long. Then, I moved towards her while hearing stuttering words raining out of her mouth.

"Stefan did some research on the Gilbert family and couldn't find any connection to the Pierces, Katherine's family that is, so it made no sense that I wasn't related to her when I look exactly like her. There's only one explanation, and he even looked it up! Miranda and Grayson's names are on my birth certificate, but mom was never pregnant with me. It all checks out–"

I interrupted her second flood of words for the night with a firm embrace. Elena stiffened in my arms as I pulled her into a tight hug, not showing any signs of ever her letting go. However, she quickly relaxed and wrapped her arms around me as well, sighing in relief.

"I thought you would react differently. Freak out or something," she mumbled into my shoulder. Being taller certainly had its advantages, I was a great hugger.

Our hearts were hammering against each other, the pace of Elena's beginning to slow down while mine was speeding up. There would be no better suited time to tell her than right now. I had to.

"I'm adopted," I spoke the exact words that had been uttered from her lips just a few moments earlier. "Too," I just had to add. The irony! Elena stiffened in my arms, but I refused to let go. I didn't want to see the look on her face.

I was actually a little bit glad that I had already practised telling someone earlier this evening, or night. Although under very different circumstances.

* * *

"I learnt Swedish because my mother spoke it," I said, completely out of the blue and breaking the silence that had settled in the car ever since we left Georgia behind us. "My birth mother," I added and turned my head to look at Damon, whose gaze was focusing on the road ahead. A slight twitch in his neck was the only thing that gave away that he had even heard me. "She… Nobody really knows about the fact that... I've never told anyone…" Oh, this was hard. "I found out about it from my parents before they died. So I left to find… them; my biological parents." I felt my voice waver slightly. I had never shared this story with anyone before. "But they were dead," I finished and turned my head to look out the side window, hinting the meadows and country road passing by in the darkness. The silence settled over us once more, almost like a warm blanket.

"My father was the most unbearable man you can imagine. Violent. Manipulative. Abusive. And if you ask me, I'll always blame him for my mother's death. And never forgive him for shooting and killing me and Stefan." I turned my head to stare at Damon. He cast a glance my way and shrugged. "I thought we were sharing stories."

This could be interesting.

"The only reason I went to London was to track down my biological parents, but I tricked my mom and dad into thinking it was a college exchange program."

"Katherine toyed around with both me and Stefan, compelling my brother to never reveal the truth about her being a vampire to anyone. But she didn't have to do the same to me, I waited for her to turn me so that we could be together. Forever." Damon's voice turned bitter towards the end. "You know how that worked out," he added. Yep; she died.

I wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but it felt like an odd exchange of sorts. Tid for tad. I spilled my secrets and Damon would spill his. A bit like we had at the Mystic Grill long ago, but now without waltzing around the truth. Honestly, I was curious about his past. But was it worth giving up mine for?

"I came in touch with some bad people, or good, depending on your perspective… They helped me find out the truth about my biological parents, and once I knew, well, I stuck around."

"My dear old brother spoke to our father about vampires. The town was crawling with them back then, the founders were paranoid and planned to burn them all alive. Stefan told our father the truth about Katherine's vampirism, even after I begged him not to. Father, as expected, became furious and had her captured. We tried to save her, but father shot us both when we were in the middle of rescuing her from being taken to the church to be burned alive. The reason she was even captured and taken away in the first place was because of my brother's jabby-mouth, and I still haven't been able to forgive him for it. I don't want to, either." A slight pause settled in the car, Damon's words getting a real chance to sink in before he cleared his throat, signaling for me to continue.

"Vicki wasn't my first kill." It was the first thing I could think of after his long, personal story, maybe it wasn't as good as his, but still. Damon allowed his gaze to leave the road for the first time since we had started this...whatever it was.

"I figured," he said and scrutinized me. His blue stare was way too intense in combination with all these personal truths. I turned away and instead let my gaze land on the painted white lines on the road straight ahead, lit up by the car's headlight. "Stefan forced me to turn."

"My sister knows nothing of the bad things I've done."

"I thought Bree could open the tomb underneath the church."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What tomb?"

"Where Katherine and the rest of the captured vampire are sealed?" That was news indeed. "But she couldn't." That crisis averted, then.

"Obviously," I retorted in my best Alan Rickman voice, smiling slightly at my own impression. Then a thought hit me. "If you tell Elena–" I turned my head to Damon.

"You'll stake me?" He smirked, before becoming serious. "I won't. Same goes for you."

"You'll stake me?" I taunted and received an annoyed eye roll. "Don't worry, your secrets are safe with me." I patted my chest reassuringly. "If it's one thing I'm good at, then it's keeping them."

* * *

"Parks?" Elena's muffled voice spoke.

"Yes?"

"I can't breathe."

Quickly, I released her from my tight grip. "Whoops. Sorry." Avoiding her gaze was a lot harder when I no longer held her pinned against my chest.

"So…" she spoke, searching for something to fill the silence with. "I guess we're even more alike, then." I finally looked up at my sister instead of the gravel. Elena was smiling coyly, anticipating my answer.

"Yeah, you're right." I nodded, before adding, "Sis."

Nothing was going to change between us.

* * *

"So, how did you find out?"

"About your adoption or mine?" I asked and licked the spoon completely clean of ice cream. I hadn't had much of a choice but to tell Elena about the fact that I had already known she was adopted; the truth of it would have come out sooner or later. She had been a little upset about it at first, but quickly moved past it.

"Ehrm… Both?" She dug out another scoop from our shared ice cream package.

"I was just a kid when your birth mother came to dad's clinic. I had come with him to work that day. It was raining and she looked absolutely terrified. She was just sixteen." I observed my spoon instead of Elena. "She gave birth to you and disappeared a few days later. That's it, or at least all I remember. I was, like, seven at the time." Elena nodded, absorbing the new information like a spunge.

"And yours?" she finally spoke. Letting out a little sigh, I dragged the package over the table to dig out another spoonful of the peanut butter ice cream.

"There were some hints… Trouble getting out a birth certificate for a doctor's appointment, no pictures of mom ever being pregnant with me. And when they adopted you, well, it was pretty hard to not explain the process to me. So they just told me the truth at the same time. Easier that way."

"Do you know who they are?"

"Were," I corrected. The cold ice cream traveled down my throat and numbed my body.

"Oh."

"I nagged at mom and dad to tell me for a while, but they wouldn't budge. So I found out myself." I turned to catch my sister's gaze. "Trust me, Elena. Sometimes it better not knowing." She avoided my firm eyes thoroughly, and I knew what she was thinking. Why did my birth mother give me up? I had wondered the same thing for years before learning the truth, and I couldn't say I had liked the answer. A feeling told me Elena wouldn't like hers either, but she would probably go trying to find out nonetheless. She was stubborn like that.

The sound of the front door opening interrupted us, and Jenna entered the house soon after. Elena immediately grew cautious. Our aunt stopped in her step when she saw me and Elena by the dining table. Instantly, her demeanor darkened as she violently threw her bag onto the dresser and stormed into the kitchen.

"Where have you been?" The sharp question was directed towards Elena. Obviously, since I didn't even live here anymore, was a legal adult and was responsible for my own life. "I don't set a lot of rules, Elena. Not with you. I trust you to tell me the truth. Where were you? Why wouldn't you call me? I thought that we were closer than that."

"Now is not the time you want to talk to me about trust," Elena spoke in a tense tone. She got up from the table to escape Jenna by setting her eye on the staircase, leaving me with the ice cream. My sister is so nice.

Jenna blocked Elena's path with her arm, and they continued arguing about trust and yada yada, until Elena brought out the newfound adoption card. Instantly, as soon as the words were out and hanging between them, Jenna's mouth zipped itself shut and her posture stiffened. I could see her going taut even from my place over by the dining table.

"Elena, I didn't… They asked me not to tell you."

My sister looked over her shoulder at me. "That didn't stop Parks from telling me the truth." Jenna swung around to look at me as well, and I turned away in my chair immediately.

Did she have to drag me into this? And talk about double standards! I had kept Elena in the dark about this just as much as Jenna had. But Elena probably justified that by pointing at my young age at the time everything happened, or perhaps she knew better than to expect me to share serious stuff with her.

"Elena!" Jenna called after my sister, who had undoubtedly used Jenna's temporary attention on me to run up the stairs. Clever girl.

"I don't wanna hear it!" Elena's faint voice could be heard calling, before she slammed the door to her room shut.

As silently as possible, I got up from my chair, quietly moving to the freezer to put back the ice cream, throwing the used spoons into the sink on the go. However, when I turned around, Jenna was staring at me from the doorframe connected to the hallway with her hands on her hips. Dammit.

"How did she find out? Did you tell her?"

"It's complicated…" I avoided my aunt's inquiring gaze and tried going through the tv-room to reach the front door. Jenna stepped out and blocked my path. Oh, come on!

"You can't just run away from this! Tell me, Parker."

"It's really not my place to tell!" I sighed, frustrated. So much drama in this house for one night! "And does it even matter? Elena found out, I filled her in best I could. You should do the same." I bumped into Jenna's stunned shoulder, and somehow managed to make it all the way to the front door, escaping any further questioning.

Once outside, walking down the path lined with perfectly green lawns and even more perfect gardens, I pulled out a phone I'd found and snatched from a dresser at the house. Already, regret about crushing my phone earlier was starting to settle in. But this was better than nothing.

* * *

To Elena, December 4, 3:47 AM: You owe me!

* * *

To Parker, December 4, 3:47 AM: Did you make it out alright?

* * *

Quick as the reply came, there was no questioning about who was texting her. My sister knew me too well.

* * *

To Elena, December 4, 3:48 AM: Just barely. But I have to work tomorrow– Wait, today! So you owe me for that too.

* * *

To Parker, December 4, 3:49 AM: You ate my ice cream. We're even.

* * *

To Elena, December 4, 3:49 AM: Not by a long shot. Sis.

* * *

To Parker, December 4, 3:50 AM: Love you, Parks.

* * *

To Elena, December 4, 3:50 AM: Don't stay up too late smooching Stefan, alright?

* * *

To Parker, December 4, 3:50 AM: How did you...? Never mind.

* * *

Smiling, I turned to look back at the house. Even from this distance, I could tell Elena's window was slightly ajar, as well as hinting the silhouette of a man's broad back standing in the middle of the room, next to the bed. She probably wouldn't take my advice.


	13. Twirling and Swirling and Death

"You're late." Bella crossed her arms and raised a disapproving brow at me.

"Sorry, overslept." I made a face whilst slipping out of my jacket. "Family business." Her features softened at that, and she waved me off to the back of the Grill. Huh. Personal experience? Otherwise, that type of forgiving didn't seem to be a regular recurrence.

Quickly, I changed into my purple t-shirt with the Mystic Grill's golden logo over my left boob, shoving the rest of my stuff into a nearby locker. My new – or actually old – crappy phone buzzed in the back pocket of my jeans, and hoisting it out revealed my sister's name. Despite us having made up, I wrinkled my nose at the sight of it. I didn't have time for her family drama with Jenna right now. Thus, I threw the phone into the locker as well, before closing it with a bang.

 _There_. Now I was all ready for my first day.

A day which mostly consisted of me filling up people's glasses with beer or taking their orders, whilst, of course, flirting with the other bartender, Ben. If I remembered correctly, he had graduated high school a few years ago. Probably knew everyone in Elena's year as well. This was confirmed when I saw him chatting with Matt, who was filling out an application to work here. Good for him? I wasn't not sure. Poor dude had to earn all income on his own; his mother being an absent alcoholic and his sister being, well, dead.

Casually, I wiped my closer across the dark surface of the bar, nearing the pair.

"Cook line?" Ben asked over his back, putting a clean and dried glass back in its place on one of the shelves in front of the blue, glass wall.

"Busboy," Matt called out. He received an almost pitiful look from Ben. _Douche_.

"Sounds great!" I squeezed in and gave Matt a genuine smile. "Glad to have you on board, Kennedy." I leaned forward. "It was getting boring," I added, whispering.

"Glad to hear you're enjoying your work after just one day, Gilbert," Ben bit off. He seemed to have had enough of flirting, for the time being. I rolled my eyes and turned to face him, planting my back against the bar.

"Don't take it personal, Jockey." Liked my wordplay on the word jock? I know, it's awesome. Ben, on the other hand, took it a bit personal; squinting his brown eyes at me whilst retaining a vague smile.

"Isn't that your sister?" he asked, nodding over my head. With a glance over my shoulder, I spotted Elena and Bonnie just finishing their dinner, getting ready to leave. Elena had just grabbed her bag and jacket, already halfway out the door. _Score!_ Nicely avoided drama there.

However, when Bonnie got up to make her way over to the bar, probably to pay their bill, she walked right into Damon. Dammit; I spoke too soon. Should I save my witchy friend from the hot, but annoying, vampire? Glimpsing Ben staring at the two, a brilliant idea hit me.

"Hey." I gave him a pat on the shoulder, before leaning my chin against it and looking in the same direction as his brown orbs; right at Damon and Bonnie. "She's cute. And single." I gave him a slight push, urging him to go over there. "You should talk to her." Ben looked tempted by my offer, so I continued to lead him out from behind the bar by pushing at his back. "Her name is Bonnie," I whispered into his ear before giving him a last shove.

With triumph, I watched him walk over to the tense pair. Instantly, Ben exchanged some words with Damon, which made him reluctantly turn around and walk away. Probably an assessment of ridiculous manhood, or something of the sorts. _Very_ annoying! But at least I didn't have to do the job myself.

"Smooth," Matt spoke from somewhere behind me.

"Thanks." I walked back over to him, grabbing his application and swirling it around on the bar counter. "No, no," I tsked, tracing my finger over the boxes he had filled in. "You would be an awesome chef, you know." I looked up to catch his light blue gaze.

"I'll settle for busboy." He shrugged, dismissively.

"You're overqualified," I said firmly and swung the application back around to him.

"That's really nice of you, Parks… But I don't think you're the one to make that decision."

"Fine!" I rolled my eyes. "But just so you know where I stand in this." I put my finger on the boxes in the application, which urged you to tick the position you were applying for. "You could do better, _Matty_."

He straightened up in surprise. " _Almost_ calling me by my real name."

"That's how serious I am," I spoke gravely and leaned back. Matt looked as if he was _at least_ inclined to consider it. "Think it over," I finished and walked away from him, with a bit of a less heavy conscience.

* * *

Once I'd finished my shift, I finally dug my phone out from the mess I made in my locker. After just _one_ day, I could barely find a thing amongst the clothes and stuff. Indeed, I was a freaking professional.

The moment I pressed a button, the display threateningly lit up and revealed thirty plus texts and several missed calls.

Oh dear. I flipped them through lazily.

One contained Elena yapping about avoiding Jenna, going to the decade dance at the school tomorrow night and needing clothes: Did _I_ have anything? From the 50s? Please! I wasn't _that_ old.

Another one had Jenna trying to make up for last night. How she even had gotten this number perplexed me the most. Then there was something about chaperoning that dance: eh, _no thanks._

Finally, the last five missed calls were from a stressed Elena. With growing worry, I listened to each and every one of them. A guy had called her, threatening her. Saying, and I quote: " _I tried getting to you. Instead your sister hit me with a car. I didn't get to you. I will next time."_ The final voice message calmed me down a little, and stopped me from ignoring to change and run to my sister's side immediately. She had gone to meet Stefan, and he had given her some sort of device that could track vampires.

The funny thing was that _she_ was worried about the vampire going after _me_. Since I had been the one to hit him. Ah, Elena… When would she get that I could take care of myself? _Even_ against murderous vampires. She was spending the night at the Salvatores, but wanted to talk to me tomorrow after school and before that stupid decade dance thing. Maybe I could convince her of my independence then.

I sent a quick text to Elena, writing when I would swing by tomorrow. Then another one; reluctantly accepting Jenna's offer to chaperone. If Elena would insist on going to that dance, she would need all the bodyguards she could get for the night. _I_ could take care of myself, but I wasn't so sure about my baby sister. And I wasn't sure I trusted her vampire boyfriend enough either.

* * *

Adding the finishing touches to my outfit, I cast a glance at my reflection in the tall mirror located in the bathroom. Viewing what I had managed to put together, I came to the conclusion that I pretty much looked like I'd just stepped out from a Grease movie.

Dressed from head to toe in black and tight clothing, only a big, baggy bike jacket and a pair of red pumps – which happened to match my lipstick perfectly – stood out from the rest of the outfit's tight tendencies. I readjusted the boatneck of my tight black top and drew back to give a final look into the cracked mirror. It would do.

Checking the time, I backed out of the ramshackled bathroom, out in the hallway to try to get a clear view of the clock on the wall over the small U-shaped kitchen. It showed that I was finished _just_ in time to get going.

If I were to make it in time to Elena's house without a car at my disposal, that was. Which I _did_ , due to careful planning. But I was really starting to feel the absence of a vehicle at my constant disposal.

Taking the steps up to the Gilbert house in two graceful leaps, I landed stably on my high heeled feet. As so many times before, I entered the house without so much as knocking, just in time to see Elena hang up the phone.

Before a figure dressed in black jumped down from its place braced to the ceiling.

Reacting before thinking, I quickly moved to grab an umbrella with a wooden base from its stand next to the door, jabbing it into the vampire's back before he even had a chance to touch a hair on Elena's head. However, before I could re-pierce his back, not quite having hit his heart the first time, Stefan whooshed in from out of nowhere, throwing me back into a wall and taking on the vampire himself. This gave the vampire the convenient time to speed out of the place, while I was left with the back of my head dully aching from its impact with the wall. _Smooth_ , there Stefan. _Real_ smooth!

"Are you okay?" he asked _Elena_. Hey! _I_ was the one with a hurting head here! Douche. At least my sister threw a worried look my way from Stefan's ' _protecting'_ arms. I waved off her questioning gaze and stopped rubbing the back of my head. Stefan – _finally_ remembering me – glanced over Elena's head. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's _fine_. I _always_ enjoy being thrown into a wall, _head first_ ," I seethed sarcastically. Elena gave me a warning look, but I rolled my eyes to it.

"I should check and make sure he's gone," Stefan spoke and released Elena from his arms. He stroked her cheek gently and asked, in an urging, worried tone: "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yes." Elena nodded, bravely. "I got Parker," she added with a smile and a glance my way. If _that_ was enough to convince her to not worry about me, then the pain in my head from Stefan's interference was _definitely_ worth it.

But, sadly, I was wrong

Even after Elena's statement she stood by her opinion that I wasn't safe. Woman, did you not _see_ when I almost pierced that vampire's heart? AGH!

It took some convincing, but after a chat in the living room where Damon joined us, I _at least_ managed to persuade them that I could be of help in their takedown of the vampire at the decade dance.

Surprisingly enough, my will came through with the help of _Damon_. Of all people! Stefan and Elena still had their arms crossed and shared disapproving looks, but at least they'd shut up. Damon did a dramatic roll of his eyes when he caught me observing them, and I had to repress a laugh.

"So, it's settled then." I felt the need to clarify what we had landed on. "We'll take him down at the dance tonight, since he's been invited in and no one in this house is safe anymore." I turned to point at my sister. "Elena will be bait." Stefan stiffened at my choice of words.

" _Technically_ , so will you," Damon pointed out, and I threw him a glare. Like they needed another reminder of that!

"He'll strike again, and when he does we'll be ready," Stefan stated. I wondered who he was including in his ' _we'_. Whatever, I would just have to make sure I was present when the action went down.

A rather strong urge to take this new vampire down had begun to grow inside of me. Not just because he'd stood in the middle of the road and caused me to hit him, but more so because he had attacked Elena. And I would very much like to finish the job of driving a stake through his heart.

"You two have to change," I said and pointed between the brothers. They shared a look.

"Is that _really_ necessary?"

"Oh, come on! You _lived_ during the 50s for crying out loud. I'm sure you can dig out _something_ from your closet."

The reluctance was clear, but both still got up to leave, ready to whoosh back home to their closets. Stefan hesitated, stopping in the doorframe, which made his brother put his hands on the younger Salvatore's back to try and push him forward, but the guy still wouldn't move.

"Are you two going to–"

"We'll manage for _ten minutes_! Gees!" I pushed on Damon's back, applying the last force that was needed to make Stefan budge. "Bye, bye now!" I waved and slammed the door shut behind them. Sighing, I leaned against it, facing Elena's worried and slightly… Offended? Angry? Upset? Whatever! Her look.

"Was that really necessary?"

"Yes." I pushed myself off the door, putting my hands on her shoulders and leading her around the light beige couch to set her down on it with a push. "Sit. Breath. Relax."

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?" I asked and walked around the coffee table, not calm enough to sit down and take my own own advice.

"Act so fast and… stake him. Where did you learn that?" Oh, not this again!

I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. "Elena–" A plan for a diversion was already forming in my mind.

"No!" she spoke, suddenly determined. "You've been avoiding my questions ever since you got back. Answer this! Where were you? What did you do?"

I paused my planning, staring down at her. "You're not gonna like my answers."

"I don't care!" Elena claimed stubbornly, staring right back at me, her knuckles curled into white fists on the couch's cushion.

" _Fine_!" I let out. The room became silent as Elena awaited my answer. "I…" I began, desperately trying to decide how much I could give her, without scaring her to death. "I worked for the government. Or, rather an organization _tied_ to the government. But _not_ in a diplomatic way… More like a, hmm…field agent."

"Wait." Elena frowned. "So you were, like, a CIA agent or something?" she asked me, furrowing her brows deeper.

"No, not exactly." I ran my fingers over my shoulder length wavy hair. The usual messiness was at the moment tamed in neat, voluminous curls, an attempt to mimic Marilyn Monroe's hair.

Dropping my hand, I let out a sigh before continuing with the since long now dreaded conversation.

"This is gonna sound crazy, but you just gotta hear me out. I worked for an organization that took care of different types of threats," I laid out, carefully. "Everything from full-scale terrorists to small town serial killers. But it wasn't the CIA. To be completely honest, to _this day_ I don't even know their actual name. Everyone just called it ' _the Agency'_. I was recruited right after arriving in London for the college exchange program. Do you remember how I convinced Mom and Dad into letting me go?" Elena didn't move a muscle, her face remaining absolutely blank, listening intently. "Well, you were pretty young then…. Anyway, they trained me and I was given targets to… _take out_." Elena's eyes widened at this. "Yes, like an assassin," I added, seriously, airing her thoughts for her. "Eventually, bad people wanted me gone, so I disappeared."

Actually, I'd had too much blood on my hands for them. My track record had been _too_ good. I'd known too much. Thus, I had to be eliminated. If it weren't for Hunter, I would lay at the bottom of the Amazon River with a bullet in my head, suffering the same fate as my birth parents. Instead, he had helped me escape and disappear from their records and existence.

Because of his friendship to my biological parents, Hunter thought he _owed them_ to keep their daughter alive. How _he_ had managed to stay alive within the organization for as long as he had, while they'd perished, only made me suspect that he was more involved within the higher ranks than he let on. But I'd never asked.

Instead, he helped me keep other assassins or people wanting me dead off my trail, and I repaid him by staying off the radar, in hiding. Hiding in plain sight, at the last place anyone would think to look for me. In Mystic Falls. My small hometown. That was the reason for my return.

But Elena didn't need to know that detailed version.

"I'm here now and that's all you need to know," I finished and stopped pacing around.

"But…" Elena looked down at her feet planted on the floor, an expression tattling how hard she was thinking and processing this new information. "They wanted you dead? They _want_ you dead! What did you do?"

By now, I had my serious answer lined up and ready. "The less you know the better."

Still, she wouldn't give up that easy. Not once she'd gotten me talking. "But Parks–"

"Elena, I can protect myself. But I can't be responsible for your safety as well. _If_ they come, the less information you know the better. They won't bother you if you're oblivious." _At least_ not as much as they would if she actually knew something valuable, but I didn't say this either. I wanted to keep my innocent sister in the dark about this as much as possible. If, or rather _when_ they came, I needed to be able to run without having to look back at my family getting hurt.

Elena opened her mouth to say something else, but she was interrupted by the door suddenly swinging open and a man in 'bad boy' 50s appropriate clothes strutting in.

"All changed! Ready, Warrior Princess?" Damon asked and held out his arm for me. As a response, I rolled my eyes and searched for Stefan behind him. "My brother will be here soon." Damon smirked. Something about it made me suspect he had ben standing outside, listening in, for far longer than I liked.

I moved closer, lowering my voice. "How much did you hear?" I asked him quietly, hoping Elena wouldn't catch my hushed tone.

"Enough to know that Warrior Princess is now a permanent nickname." _Crap._ I turned away from his smirk to face Elena.

"So." I clapped my hands together. "I think we've established that I can take care of myself against a vampire." I raised a brow at my sister, and she sighed. "Besides, I'll have the vampire gigolo here–" I nodded towards Damon. "–to watch my back, should things go south. So no worries!"

"Well. We'll see who will be watching whose back," Damon chuckled lowly. I gave him a tired look. "Warrior Princess," he added. While Damon was looking amused and wiggled his brows at me knowingly, Stefan appeared behind him.

"Ready to go?" he asked Elena.

"Just a minute." Her gaze moved to me, but I thoroughly avoided it.

"We'll be outside," I said and grabbed Damon's collar, dragging him with me by it, all the way to the sidewalk in front of the house where his fancy car stood parked. _Of course_ he had taken it; adding to the 50s theme by matching it to his image.

"You know, if you wanted to get me alone, all you had to do was ask…" Damon smirked and leaned closer. Huffing, I pushed him off of me. He pouted a little, then chuckled in response to my glare.

This was going to be a _very_ long and testing night.

No longer amused by flirting, Damon angled his head towards the house, as if he was listening to the conversation going on inside of it. I hit his shoulder, breaking his concentration.

"What do you think you're doing?" I scolded.

"Oh, like you're not curious," he teased, trying again.

"Stop that! Give them some privacy!" Or, rather, don't hear Elena pour out my whole story to Stefan. Damon had heard enough of it. I turned him back towards me by a hard tug hard at his arm. Thoroughly, I pushed down my own impulse to know for sure what they were discussing. And how my sister was painting me out to be. "You lurker!"

"You want my attention instead?" Damon joked and tilted his head to the side, eyeing me up and down.

"Don't start imagining things now." I turned away to admire the lights on the house next door, but was twirled back around, hitting Damon's firm chest. Does the term ' _eye-sex'_ sound familiar? Because that was apparently Damon's favorite activity. And it was _extremely_ hard to avoid his gaze, being so close and all…

"Save it for the dance, will you?" I spoke, my voice a bit muffled, as I patted his chest firmly. A serious smirk was spreading on his face, and I found myself not trying to take my eyes off of it. Or wanting to.

Who knows what might have happened, hadn't Elena and Stefan finally exited the house in that moment. _The cockblocking lifesavers._

* * *

Thus followed a night of being swirled around on the dance floor by said vampire gigolo.

"You're enjoying this a little too much," I said as I returned from what felt like the umpteenth twirl during the last minute, my back against Damon's front.

"There's no such thing," he sang in my ear. Another twirl later and I was facing his amused gaze.

"Well, aren't you quite the dancer," I tried changing the conversation topic with.

Why I even had agreed to dance with him in the first place was a wonder. Just then, I saw Stefan dip Elena out in the corner of my eye, and further away Caroline and Bonnie talking. _Right_. It was so that Damon wouldn't bother _them_. Really, _who_ was watching _who_ tonight? Because it sure felt more as if I was keeping Damon away from interfering with Elena's friends, than him being on the lookout for the murderous vampire.

"I was alive when they invented the moves," Damon answered. "Speaking of which, I've got other moves you might like." He smirked, and I rolled my eyes. As an answer to this, I was dipped, my head nearly gracing the floor. My heart jumped, skipping a beat as a sudden rush of panic gripped me. It was gone in the blink of an eye, but Damon had undoubtedly noticed it. Interpreting it wrong, his wry smile showed. "Oh, I would _never_ drop you." He raised me up again, and I suddenly felt a strong urge to back away. Our faces too close.

"I just have some bad experience with that particular move," I explained and focused my gaze on his lips instead of those darn blue eyes. It didn't help.

Instead, the memory of the event I was referring to resurfaced. And I wasn't sure if it was a better distraction.

It had all happened for what felt long ago, back when a man I had once called my friend had tried to kill me at a grand gala. Slipping into widely different crowd had our bonds of friendship tested, and broken. I regretted a lot of things said and done that night. But, perhaps worst of all, I _didn't_ regret my most awful deed.

What I had done to him had put a target lasting forever on my back. One he would never cease hunting me for it.

Being dipped in a high school gym instead of in the middle of chaotic waltz with bodies falling all around, were two very different things. But like him, the move would forever haunt me back to that time and place.

Soft tunes flowed into my ear, pulling me back from the dark, vile memory. And I caught Damon gave me a meaning look.

Sighing a little, I took his offered hand and placed my other one behind his neck nonetheless. As I felt his hand on my lower back, I found myself being pulled closer to him, and _letting_ it happen.

There was a difference to Damon's face now, the usual tattooed smirk replaced by a seriousness in his eyes. I noticed this, even though there was nearly _no_ space between our faces. My lips so close to his that it would only take a small movement to eliminate the gap and allow them to met. But I didn't move.

It might have had something to do with the fact that he was _still_ an annoying and mass-murdering vampire. Or perhaps that I was as _far_ away from being ready for a relationship as one could possible be. Or _maybe_ it was because someone bumped into me as they hurried past, causing me to nearly fall over, hadn't Damon's arms been wrapped around me so tightly.

Swiftly regaining my balance, I swung around just in time to see a figure wearing a black hoodie make his way towards the exit, where a girl with a white headband and a pompadour was now about to exit. Elena.

As I twirled back around and began saying, "Damon–" I was met with nothing but emptiness.

 _Damn_. Why was I always left out of these things? I _knew_ this would happen!

Instantly, I started making my way towards the door they had disappeared through. But this was nearly _impossible_ since the slow song was replaced by an up-speeded one, causing the teenagers to swing around like there was no tomorrow. Even as I was pushed around, I refused to give up.

Finally, after ages of struggling, I reached the door. Not sparing a moment to pause and catch my breath, I pushed the doors open, leaving the noisy dance behind me. The contrast was astounding, now able to walk through an empty, quiet corridor with ease.

But it wasn't quiet for long. Soon, I heard noises up ahead, and hurried closer.

Behind a pair of blue double doors, I managed to catch a glimpse of some fighting going on. The blue shirt and the pompadour was hard to mistake. I threw myself at the doors, but they refused to budge. Locked from the inside.

The only thing I could see through the oblong window was my sister desperately defending herself against her stalker vampire. I was afraid that if I left, she would get hurt. But continuing to just stand here wasn't going to help her either.

Releasing a frustrated sound, I jerked at the doors again, still without result. But in the sound of my distraction, Elena jabbed a pencil into the vampire's hand.

"GO ELENA!"

Seeing as she had the upper hand, momentarily, I ran away and sprinted through the hallway, stopping to kick off my shoes, ran a few feet further, before turning back to grab my pumps. Since their heels were sharp, they made a good potential weapon.

When I _finally_ found another door into the cafeteria, inches away from racing through them, Damon grabbed my arm and yanked me backwards.

"NO!" I yelled and fought against his grip. "You...are...not...stopping...me!" I grunted and tried worming my way out of his arms.

"Stop it," he wheezed in my ear.

"Never!" I grunted back, elbowing him in the chest before I moved to slam the doors open. I wielded one of my sharp pumps towards the vampire's back, and it jammed into my target perfectly. A fist thrown into the air sadly didn't seem fitting for the situation, but my triumph still didn't last very long, since I realized that Stefan was already standing in front of Elena, a protecting shield between her and the vampire. _Dammit!_ That guy was _always_ stealing my thunder.

The vampire dressed in black grunted, trying to reach for my heel buried in his back, without succeeding.

"Nice aim," Damon commented beside me, no longer trying to hold me back. Why had he even tried to do that? I couldn't dwell on it much longer, since Damon slipped a wooden stake into my hand and gave me a meaning look.

"Thanks."

"Hey, dickhead." Damon's gaze left mine as he called out to the vampire; took the words right out of my mouth there. The vampire swung around towards us. "Nobody wants to kill you." Damon held up his hands in an surrendering gesture "We just wanna talk." The vampire only stared at Damon.

Jumping back around, I understood what the vampire was about to do before he had taken a single step, beating his vamp-speed by throwing the stake at him with dangerous precision. Instead of reaching Elena, he landed on the floor on his knees with a thud; the stake having pierced right through him, sticking out through his stomach and preventing him from falling flat to the floor. The vampire grunted in pain, even before Stefan moved to twist the stake around further.

"Now you feel like talkin'?" Stefan asked as Damon and I zigzagged our way between the round tables to reach them.

"Screw you," came the weak answer, resulting in Stefan swirling the stake around again to make the vampire groan in pain.

"Wrong answer," Stefan spoke, in a completely different voice than I was used to hearing; a dark and grim one. He continued moving the stake around. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because it's fun," the vampire admitted. He chuckled faintly, before crying out in pain. I wasn't sure weather I thought his cockiness was brave or just plain stupid. Probably the latter.

"What do you want with Elena?" She was _right here_ , Stef! The woman could speak for herself! Then, I remembered that my sister wasn't used to this type of cruelty, and moved to stand beside her, hugging her elbow lightly. I merely received a faded smile, since her entire focus laid on the vampire ahead.

"She looks like Katherine," the vampire got out in a weakening voice, tilting his head to the side as he observed my sister. Stepping in front of her, I squinted my eyes at him, only getting a small but smug smile in return.

"I remember you." He laughed weakly.

"If you didn't, you now have a reminder in your back," I pointed out. Without releasing my gaze from his, I called out, "I'd like my heel back, Stefan." The Salvatore followed my request and ripped the pump out of the vampire's back, who released a groan louder than ever before. Stefan tossed the shoe over to me, and I wiped it clean on my black pants. "Thank you."

"I should have killed you when I had the chance," the vampire hissed at me.

" _Yes_. You should've," I replied coldly, without ever breaking our eye contact.

"Easy, Warrior Princess," Damon spoke lowly. I rolled my eyes. "You knew Katherine?" he went on to ask the douchey vampire, sounding almost surprised, but hiding it well.

"Oh. You thought you were the only ones?" he teased with a shaky laugh. Damon and Stefan exchanged a look, sibling mindreading in its purest form. I took the opportunity to do the same with Elena, but she only looked as if she was going to throw up at any minute. "You don't even remember me." I tried getting eye contact with Stefan to alert him of Elena's sickening state. However, neither he nor Damon were reachable, both focusing solely on the tiring vampire in front of them. Damon leaned forward, down towards the vampire.

"Tell me how to get in the tomb. Hmm?" Voice cold and threatening. _Really?_ Did he _have_ to nag about that Katherine bitch _right now?_

"No," the vampire said, stubbornly. _That was it._

Before neither Stefan or Damon had time to react, I moved to push the stake even in deeper into the vampire's chest, also swirling it around the edges of his wound roughly.

"Spill," I ordered.

"The grimoire," he cried out.

"Now, that wasn't so hard," I taunted.

"Where is it?" Damon demanded from next to me. I jabbed the wooden stake around harder, and the vampire gasped in pain. He clenched his jaw and glared up at me, daring me to do my worst. _My pleasure._ I removed my heel from my belt, where I had conveniently tucked it in earlier, and jammed it into his neck a few times. _That seemed to do the trick._

"Check the journal!" he let out. "The journal. Jonathan's journal. Jonathan Gilbert's." As the words left his mouth, I saw something move in one of the small oblong windows on the blue doors, but waved it off and concentrated on the vampire in front of me instead. Revenge was sweeter.

I more felt than saw Damon straighten up next to me, probably to share a look with his brother. Since I'd taken over as the main inflictor of pain in this unconventional interrogation, I could only _hope_ that Stefan was comforting Elena right now, because I truly wished she didn't have to witness this. However, neither of the vampire brothers apparently had enough brain cells to figure out that you could _spare_ someone from a cruel sight. Still, _I_ certainly wasn't going to lead her away; I had been sitting out enough fights as it was. My turn now.

"Who else is working with you?" Stefan asked. _Brilliant_ question.

"Who else is there?" Damon urged.

"No." The vampire's gaze was focused on me when he added: "You're gonna have to kill me." Damon blew out a frustrated sigh. I glanced at them over my shoulder, spotting that Stefan didn't even have his arm wrapped around Elena. The one time he _actually_ should! The two brothers were both looking at me, since I was momentarily holding the power in my hand to seal the vampire's fate. Damon rolled his eyes a little, but nodded, and I drew the stake out.

"Sorry, Elena," I spoke over my shoulder, alerting her boyfriend of her existence, before I jabbed the stake back into the vampire's chest, this time instantly piercing his heart.

Even over the sound of the desiccating vampire, I heard my sister release a sharp gasp. Soon, the vampire fell to the floor and I wiped my hands clean from his blood on my pants before bending down to retrieve my shoe from the now dead vampire's neck.

"What do we… How are you gonna find the others now?" Elena questioned desperately from Stefan's arms. _Finally_ he had gotten the message!

"He had to die," Damon spoke calmly with his gaze on me, as if searching for a sign that I would, just like Elena, crack to the pressure. He was in for a disappointment there.

"But…" Elena's gaze roamed over to me as her mouth gaped. Confusion, in all sorts of forms, seemed to be written all over her face more and more often these days.

"He had been invited in," I clarified, and Stefan nodded as his chin rested on top of Elena's head. That would ruin her pompadour, although I doubted that she cared much about silly things like that right now.

A sound of a door opening somewhere out in the hallway was heard, and it reminded me of the movement earlier. I _knew_ I had seen something out there then! Or, rather, someone.

"Go," Stefan told Damon. "I got this."

Hello? Remember me? At least Damon did, since he looked at me, as if for confirmation. He received a small nod from me, before he left to see to our observer. I was sure his compulsion skills would come in handy.

Elena stared at the dead body on the floor, and I moved to stand in the way for her tearful gaze. She buried her head against Stefan's chest and let out a soft sob. Stefan looked to me, a question in his eyes.

"Go," I reassured. _Take care of her,_ I really meant. I hoped Stefan at least understood _that_ , as he quickly led Elena away from the body and out of the room.

Well, I suppose you could say that I'd gotten my wish. I stated this as I turned around, tilting my head to the side to observe the newly made corpse with a sigh. Finally, I had at least managed to contribute with _something_. And now I had also been given the privilege to clean up the mess.


	14. Double-Crossing

The last couple of days had consisted of me:

One: Trying to avoid my sister after she saw me brutally kill a vampire. He had threatened her, but I doubted that mattered in Elena's mind. Dead was still dead.

Two: Dodging my aunt's efforts to make up through thousands of phone calls. _How did she have my new number?_ I _still_ didn't know!

Three: Avoiding Jeremy. Mainly because I had a guilty conscience that I'd spent _way_ more time with Jenna and Elena than with my baby bro since I got back. Despite our brief little Jenna-Alaric bonding moment at the Grill, I actually thought he didn't he liked me very much.

However, I couldn't keep up any of these acts for very much longer. When Jenna had called _ten_ times in a row during the past minutes, I felt compelled to pick up.

"What?" I groaned tiredly into the phone, just having finished a twelve hour shift at the Grill. As always, I ended my day with collapsing on the couch, face first.

"You have to come over here. _Now_!" Jenna urged excitedly through the mobile and right into me ear.

"Where exactly is _here_? And why would I want to?" I asked, rolling over on my back to get access to and massage my forehead.

"The house," Jenna clarified in a whispering, rushed tone. "And trust me, you _definitely_ want to come over." Her voice lowered even more. "Stefan's _very_ hot brother is here!"

"Damon?" I sat up sharply.

" _Yes_!" Jenna exclaimed joyously. "I'd want to tap that, but I've already got Alaric. Now _you_ on the other hand…" _Oh no._

"Jenna, look–"

"No-uh!" she interrupted, sternly. "I know I wasn't fair to you about how Elena found out that she was adopted. But she and I have talked it out now. Yet _you're_ still avoiding me. This is me making up for it, so get your ass over here!"

There really wasn't any room for arguing.

* * *

With just my luck, a surprised Elena opened the front door after I'd – for once – declared my presence by knocking.

"Parks!" It wasn't an ' _Oh no! Not HER!'_ kind of surprised expression, more of an ' _I didn't know you would be coming over!'_

Elena stepped out of the way and allowed me to enter, her lips pursed into a small smile. Weird. I'd thought she would've slammed the door in my face and screamed out her hatred for me through it. Unless... What if she was _okay_ with what I had done?

OH MY GOD! What had Elena's interference with this vampire-shit _done to her_?

Shrugging off my jacket, I threw it into the pile of clothes hanging by the door. It fell to the floor below the mess. Elena sighed, before picking it up.

A small mirror over the dresser in the hall revealed my rugged state. My messy hair was worn half-up and half-down in a bow-ish way, and my makeup looked worn out after an entire day's work; I knew I should have washed it off before leaving the house. But if you were instead to take a closer look at my outfit, then my loose ripped jeans and the worn-out gray sweater with a v-neck would precisely mirror my current mood: _tired._ Or exhausted. Take your pick.

"Can we talk?" Elena asked after she had finished her struggle and managed to hang up my jacket on a free clothing hook. _Impressive_.

"Now isn't really a good time…" I tried, attempting to move towards the kitchen, but Elena yanked me back by my arm.

"Please," she said, seriously. Cursing silently, I nodded, following her upstairs and into her bedroom. She closed the door behind us and moved to turn on the stereo. When loud pop music filled the room, Elena's shoulders instantly seemed to relax. I raised my brows in question at her, and she opened her mouth to explain.

Quickly summed up: Stefan had promised Damon that he would help free Katherine from the tomb, but it was a lie. Instead, Stelena were conspiring to get to some kind of journal before Damon, and thus find out where some grimoire was located, so that Damon _wouldn't_ be able to use a spell from it to get into the tomb. Damn. Complicated.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked my sister from the foot of her bed, watching her finish her act of pacing around; something she had occupied herself with during her story, only stopping every once in a while to listen after potential sounds giving away any eavesdroppers outside her bedroom door. But there was no risk for that, not with the loud music still playing.

"I wanna keep you posted on what's going on." Elena furrowed her brows, seeming surprised by my question. "You're my sister, Parks. I wanna share everything with you." Truly, I wished the feeling had been mutual. "And you're the only person I can talk to about all of this. Besides Stefan, of course. I really appreciate that."

"Yeah, I know." I waved off.

"No, Parks, listen. It means _a lot_ to me." Elena grabbed my arm and gave it a light stroke, her eyes full of that genuine love which she was so very famous for. _Damn_ my bloody sister and her ways of getting into my otherwise heart of stone.

" _Fine,"_ I breathed out slowly. "But that doesn't mean I'll help you." I pointed my finger into her bony chest.

"People might die if Damon opens that tomb," Elena argued.

"That's not my problem," I spoke, a bit harshly. Elena's hand left my arm, as if my skin had burnt her.

"Even if it's not," she said, whilst observing me with a new light in her eyes, "I'm not gonna let it happen." She'd been in action for, what, five minutes? And _already_ the sacrificing hero. If only she knew that it wasn't all glorious and fun like the stories painted it out to be. The reality was a lot rougher than that. "But I can understand why _you_ would think that," she added, _clearly_ referring to my revealed past.

 _This_ was exactly what happened when you shared stuff with people! They use it against you. Although I never thought _Elena_ wouldn't sink that low.

"Whatever." I rose from the bed. "You do what you gotta do. I'm hungry." With that, I moved past her and out the door.

* * *

"There you are!" Jenna greeted from her place hopped up on the light kitchen counter. She was sitting with her legs crossed and sipping from a glass filled with red wine, probably refilled more than a few times. However, what disturbed the sight in front of me wasn't my aunt growing more and more tipsy by the second, but Damon. _Cooking_.

"Hello, Parker." He sent a charming smile my way. When Jenna turned her head towards him, I took the chance to throw a murdering glance over her shoulder, but his grin only grew wider by it.

"Jenna," I spoke loudly through clenched jaws, still throwing daggers at Damon. "Could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Erm… Sure." Jenna took a wobbly leap down from the kitchen counter. Without a moment to lose, I sternly dragged her with me to the TV-room, making her stumble even more. We stopped where Jeremy was playing video games with the volume turned up loudly. Jenna took one look at the scene and frowned.

"Could you turn that down, Jer?" Jenna was forced to make her sigh extremely audible. "I can't hear myself think!" He rolled his eyes and sighed, but reached for the remote anyway. I placed my hand on his arm and shook my head.

"Turn it up," I told him. Jeremy smiled and obeyed happily, whilst Jenna shook her head disapprovingly, but something else caught her eye and forced away her attention from the loud problem.

"Wait! Are you wearing sneakers?" she exclaimed, shocked. I looked down at my feet, which were _indeed_ wearing a pair of gray, low sneakers.

"Yes," I stated and clapped my feet together.

"But you _never_ wear flat shoes! Are you sick? Lemme check." Jenna made an attempt to reach for my forehead, but I stepped out of her reach.

"I'm _fine_. Just tired." I needed to return her attention to the important topic at hand. "What is _he_ doing here?" I wheezed and pointed back to the kitchen.

"Isn't it obvious?" Jenna joked, but her laugh was cut off by my stone expression. "Cooking," she instead explained in a more neutral tone.

"But _why_?" I insisted on knowing. Jenna shrugged and only kept eyeing Jeremy with her eyes squinted.

"Jer, seriously–" Damn, I had lost her.

I spun around, a little uncertain of where I wanted to be. Jenna only wished to set me up, Elena was being annoyingly heroic and conspiring, while Damon was being, well, _Damon_. I'd had enough of all of that. Which only left Jeremy, who was currently being harassed by Jenna for his game's loud volume.

Grunting, I left for the kitchen, feeling as if Damon was going to be the _least_ bit annoying of the three. But as a bonus, I also got Elena. She entered the kitchen from the hallway as I took the path through the dining part of the first floor's open space, both arriving at the same time.

"Oh." _Hello to you too, Elena_. Her gaze flew to the almost finished meal, and she practically _threw_ herself at the plates, hurrying past me to set the table whilst thoroughly avoiding eye contact. _Nice_. I looked up to see Damon's smug smile over by the stove.

"What?"

"Nothing." He turned away with a shrug. "It suddenly became _freezing_ cold in here."

"Oh, what do you even know about cold? You're a frickin vampire," I muttered under my breath. Since I didn't want to go help Elena set the table, but couldn't just stand around in the middle of the room doing absolutely nothing, I stalked over to Damon. I had to tiptoe, since I was in my flats, to peer over his shoulder and look at the contents of the pot on the stove.

"Pasta," Damon stated for me. My feet had quickly grown tired of tiptoeing, they were sore after an entire day of work, so I brought my chin down to rest on his shoulder. I could feel the muscles in his neck twitch as he turned his head slightly to meet my gaze. _Åh jösses_ , we were close. This scene – the ' _no-air-between-our-faces'_ scene, that was – seemed awfully familiar. But there was no vampire to bump into my back and avert my attention this time. All I could do was stare at Damon's lips, feel his body slowly turn to face mine as my pulse grew quicker.

"Why pasta?" I asked in a somewhat husky voice.

"Italian roots," Damon mumbled back, tilting his head to the side to make the curves of our faces seemingly fit perfectly.  
"Parks!" _DAMMIT!_

"Yes?" I sighed in frustration, angling my head back towards my sister's voice.

"Could you help me set the table," she grunted, pointing instructively towards the rest of the cutlery and the plates. It wasn't a question.

"Better do as the ice queen says." Damon whispered in my ear, his breath tickling my neck. I couldn't help the smile that spread on my face. Although it quickly faded when Elena's eyes pierced mine. Boy, she was _mad_.

I wandered over to her to pick up the plates, showing exaggeratedly that I was following her instructions. Her face remained frozen, only a strict finger pointing at me to start the chore. Rolling my eyes excessively much, I almost ended up seeing nothing but darkness when they graced my eyelids.

When I began setting the table, which Elena had done _very_ _poorly_ while I'd… _talked_ to Damon, I could hear a new conversation being made over by the kitchen counter behind me. But, _really_? I was like 19 feet away! Did they truly think I couldn't hear them?

"Don't do that!" Elena wheezed.

"Do what?" Damon answered innocently.

"You know what. That _move_ was deliberate." Even though I had my back against them, I could clearly picture Elena's accusing finger.

" _Move_? You mean having a perfectly _nice_ conversation with Park–"  
"DON'T," Elena warned. "God, I wish Stefan was here," she added mumbling, probably more to herself.

"Speaking of Stefan, where is he? He's missing family night, which I am enjoying _immensely_." This time, I could actually _hear_ the smirk. Elena was probably seething just as much as the boiling water on the stove at this point. "Is it real?" Damon asked, out of the blue. The what now?

"Is what real?" Thank you, Elena! Couldn't have said it better myself.

"This renewed sense of brotherhood." Pause for… food tasting? Dramatic effect? Damn, I wish I could've turned around and looked! "Can I trust him?"

"Yes, you can trust him," Elena spoke, far too quickly. _Uh-oh_.

Another pause. I could hear Elena's footstep coming closer. Swiftly, I began aligning the cutlery next to the plates, pretending as if that was _all_ I had been doing for the past couple of minutes. The whooshing sound of vamp-speed was heard, followed by Damon's voice, a lot closer this time

"Can I trust him?" he asked, much more serious.

"I'm wearing vervain, Damon. It's not going to work," Elena pointed out stupidly.

"I know. Who do you take me for?" Damon added a scoff. "I'm not compelling you. I just want you to answer me. _Honestly_."

This pause felt like it lasted for ages, and I dared taking a peek over my shoulder. They were a few feet behind me, Elena with her back turned against me, Damon staring at her with great anticipation. His gaze left my sister's face for a moment to seek out mine, maybe because he had felt it, and our eyes locked.

"Of course you can," Elena spoke, averting his attention back to her. Even _I_ , without any nifty vamp-hearing, could hear the sound of her heart beat picking up in her chest. _Crap_.

"You should check on the food," I cleared the air with when the Salvatore's narrowed gaze became too intense for my liking. Damon followed my advice, probably since it was beginning to smell a _teensy_ bit burnt.

My sister stared at me for a moment, then left the kitchen in a hurry. _Smooth_. _No one_ would have suspected she was going to call Stefan or something… I just hoped she turned on the stereo again. Otherwise, I'd just have to occupy the potential eavesdropper in some other way.

"So," I began nonchalantly and moved closer to the stove and Damon, abandoning my duties of setting the table in the process, but screw them! "Did you ever trust Stefan? You know," I leaned in close to whisper, " _before_ that whole 'chatty Kathy' thing resulted with Katherine being taken?"

"There was a time when I did. I actually trusted him more than anyone." Damon's voice suddenly sounded very far away, as if he was reliving a memory.

"Trust is tricky," I spoke, far too knowingly.

"I just want her back," Damon said, rapidly returning from his thoughts.

"You don't have to convince me." I held up my hands in an innocent gesture. "I get it. _Love_." For a fleeting thought, I was lost in buried memories.

Warm hands, soft kisses, smooth skin against skin. Cold words and a brutal ending.

When becoming aware of the blue orbs watching me intently, I cleared my throat.

"Sometimes you're willing to do _whatever_ it takes to get that special person back. No matter who gets hurt," I added with a grave seriousness to my voice.

"I didn't think _you_ would have a problem with that." Damon cocked a brow up. A challenge. Had he heard my conversation with Elena earlier? No, he couldn't have. That Katy Perry song had been _LOUD_.

"I _don't._ But Elena does. And if _she_ was to get hurt…" I lowered my voice and spoke, slowly, "there would be _hell_ to pay." Turning away slowly, I took a spoon from a bowl of sauce sitting on the counter next to the stove, twirling it between my fingers with dangerous precision.

He was silent for a moment. Then, I felt his body pressed close to my back.

"Then you understand what _I_ will do if anyone gets in _my_ way," Damon retorted with his lips brushing against my ear. His tone had taken on a threatening shade, similar to my own.

Without looking over my shoulder at him, I picked up the bowl and moved to set it on the table, not answering.


	15. Merely Playing the Game(s)

The dinner went by in both a flash, as well as moving excruciatingly slow. Basically, it consisted of Damon continuing to be flirtatious, Jenna giggling in her slightly drunken haze, Jeremy throwing longing looks towards his video game, while Elena sat in her chair in a stiff position and only poked her fork into the food on her plate every once in a while.

After that… _lovely_ meal, Elena offered to clear the table and do the dishes, dragging Jenna along with her. Mostly, I believed she wanted a reason to avoid me, or Damon. Either way, I ended up playing that loud video game against Jer, taking turns with Damon. We both swept the floor with my little brother, resulting in him taking a sulking position in an arm chair, leaving me and Damon alone on the couch.

"Do you dare?" I wiggled the game remote in front of him temptingly.

"It's on." The Salvatore smirked.

There are a few things one should to keep in mind before agreeing to play against me. First of all, I grew up in this house; guess who bought the game. Secondly, it was a first person shooting game, and, as noticeable, I was pretty good at that aiming stuff. My point: _I won._ But it was pretty even there for a while.

"There!" I dropped the game controll on the table and stood up, stretching out my body. "I'm feeling rather finished, but you boys can continue." I waved for Jeremy to get his butt out of the seat. He obeyed, a little reluctantly, and instead took my place on the brown leather couch next to Damon.

As they carried on playing, Jeremy eyed me darkly over the game remote, probably because of my awesome skills.

"You said you never played this thing before," Jeremy huffed in Damon's direction, bummed out that even _Damon_ – a beginner – was able to beat him

"I'm a fast learner. Quick reflexes," Damon explained with his gaze glued to the game. I rolled my eyes, but he seemed to catch my action _(how?),_ smirking wryly. A phone started ringing, its sound muffled from the pocket of Jer's black hoodie. He paused the game to take one look at the display, before ignoring the call and tossing the mobile away into the cushions of the couch. _Good luck finding that later, smartass._

"What was that about?" I said, frowning as they continued the game.

"Who are you dodging?" Damon clarified. As if I couldn't speak ' _guy'_.

"This girl Anna. She can be, uh, persistent." Jeremy sighed, swearing under his breath when he got shot in the game.

"Is she hot?" Damon asked.

"Hey! Don't confirm my already low thoughts of you," I scolded, throwing the pillow behind my back at Damon. He dodged it with a smirk as he kept playing, and winning. Maybe I needed to take him down to earth again.

Jeremy thought over Damon's statement before answering. "Yeah, yeah. But she can be weird."

"Hot trumps weird, _trust me_." Damon glanced over at me, and this time I threw a rolled-up magazine at him. Jeremy smiled and laughed; at me or Damon's comment? I'd never know.

"You should not be listening to him," I told Jer sternly whilst pointing at Damon. " _Bad_ influence." My brother just kept grinning. "Do I need to kick your ass at this again?" _That_ erased his fleer nicely. My ears caught something about ' _ridiculously hot!'_ and I turned to see Elena and Jenna with their heads close together, throwing glances over at us. What were they talking about _now_? Even if I had a clue, I wanted to find out for sure.

"Jer, the door."

"I didn't hear–"

" _The door_. Get it. Now." I raised my brows insistently and nodded towards the front door. My baby bro sighed, but paused the game to go check it out. Damon was almost on his way to follow, maybe my hunch had been correct, but I jumped up to grab his arm and thereby prevent him. "Oh no!" I yanked him back. _There was a first._ It always seemed to be the other way around _._ "Stay. Good boy." I patted his arm firmly.

"What?" Damon asked a bit impatiently, clearly very keen on getting to the door.

"Vamp-hearing." I pointed at his ears. "Chattering aunt and sister." I nodded towards the kitchen where Jenna and Elena had been prattling away seconds ago. "Spill." Damon's smirk reappeared, his sudden rush to get to the door blown away completely.

"Why? Curious?" he teased.

"Just tell me," I huffed in annoyance. Damon kept ogling me, so I elbowed him in the ribs. " _Stop_ that _._ Tell me!"

"They were just talking about how _cute_ the scene was," Damon said smugly. _Oh no…_ "And some other R-rated things." I figured as much; dammit, Jenna!

"Stop smiling," I ordered, crossly. Damon took a step closer, and I fought the urge to take one back, overwhelmed by the sudden closeness.

"I agree. We _would_ make a cute couple," he continued to tease as his gaze passed over my lips.

"Oh, go back to digging up your old ex, will you!" I tried shoving him back by pushing at his chest, but instead Damon grabbed my wrists and once again pulled us close together. I swallowed a sudden lump in my throat.

"Don't act as if you disagree," Damon mumbled, his lips hovering over mine.

Then, the doorbell actually _did_ ring, and Damon released his grip on me. The shaky feeling in my legs remained, even as he backed away whilst eyeing me with a satisfied smirk.

Crazy vampire who was out trying to retrieve his bitchy girlfriend from the tomb. Remember, Parker! God. What was I doing?

* * *

"Gimme that!" I took the wine glass from Jenna's hand forcefully, chugging it down. As I wiped the area around my mouth clean from any drips left of the red wine, Jenna gaped at me from next to the dishwasher.

"You _hate_ wine!" she managed to blurt out. "Called it a ' _total waste when there's so much stronger stuff out there',_ if I remember correctly." My aunt crossed her arms and raised a brow.

"Desperate times…" I mumbled and threw a glance at the front door, just managing to hint the shapes of Elena, Stefan and Damon through the window, out on the porch. I couldn't help but wonder what they had found out now. Maybe it was something about that journal.

Since there was no more alcohol, I left Jenna to clear up the rest of the kitchen, which Elena had abandoned her to do all by herself, and instead again joined Jeremy on the couch in front of the TV.

"Bean-Head," I greeted as I took a seat in the corner of the leather sofa, pulling my legs up under me.

" _Ha, ha, ha,_ " Jeremy retorted in a tone dripping with sarcasm. Really, the belief that my brother didn't like me very much wasn't that farfetched. Since I rarely talked or spent any time with him, and once I _did_ solely teased and insulted him, driving him nuts. It was fun, but I wasn't sure he felt the same way.

"Have you watched Avatar yet?" I asked him whilst plucking at my cuticles.

"No." He sighed, concentrating on the game.

"Well, you _should_ ," I pushed.

"Have _you_?" Jer made a sudden outswing with his controller to the right, almost hitting it right into my knee.

" _Careful!_ " I scolded him. "No, I haven't."

"Then why do you care?"

"Because it's a good movie."

Jer turned to look at me, his brows furrowed. "But you haven't even–"

"Watch out!" I yelled and pointed at the screen, averting Jeremy's attention back to it, just as he was shot in the head.

"Dammit!"

"My turn!" I jumped to grab the control from his hands, but was forced to wrestle it out of his grip. "Give it!"

"No! You can't– _Hey_!" He laid a protective hand over his stomach where I had jammed my elbow, as he gave me a hurt look.

Whatever. I had gotten what I wanted.

"Behind you!" Jeremy yelled moments later, pointing at the screen as the game continued. "Nice shot!"

"Thank you, dear fan," I threw at him, dodging an attack. Even as into the game as I was, I still heard footsteps approach us, and could soon hint Damon out in the corner of my eye.

"So…" Damon sat down on the arm of the couch. "I heard you found a really cool journal from back in the day. Who else did you show it to?" he asked Jeremy. Oh, _come on_! Did he have to drag _Jer_ into this mess as well? Wasn't Elena's involvement enough?

"Huh?" my baby bro answered, solely focused on the game. _Funny_ , since _I_ was playing whilst still being able to process what Damon was saying.

"Don't ask questions, just spill." Damon tried sounding as if he was just generally curious, but knowing the backstory, as I did, made the words fit into a bigger context. I paused the game to turn and glare at him. _NOT JER TOO!_

"You're kidding me, right?" Jeremy chuckled in disbelief, a confused frown dressing his forehead.

"Jer, did you tell anyone other than Mr. Saltzman about Johnathan Gilbert's journal?" Elena clarified, stepping into view.

"Why is everybody so obsessed with that thing?" Jeremy's frown turned bitter.

"Who else did you tell?" Elena pushed.

"Just that girl Anna." Jeremy turned to me, urging me to unpause the game, but I was keen on seeing where this conversation was going.

"The hot, weird one?" Damon cut in, and I cast a glare his way.

"Careful there, big guy," I warned in a cold tone. Instantly, I noticed Elena tense up behind him. She was one of the few to know what my behavior tended to undergo when someone pissed me off; starting with the coldness sneaking into my voice.

"Yeah," Jer ignored me.

"Wait, who is Anna?" _Right!_ _Stefan_ had showed up.

"That's what I want to find out," Damon threw in his brother's direction.

When Elena's phone started ringing excessively, she left us to answer it, one final look on me. Urging me to take care of Jeremy? Like _I_ needed a reminder of that!

"How do you know her?" Damon kept interrogating my brother.

"I just know her." Jeremy shrugged. "She wants me to meet her at the Grill tonight."

"Perfect! I'll drive. Come on." Damon nodded for Jer to follow.

"O-Okay," he hesitantly stuttered out before getting up from the couch. I grabbed his arm and pulled him back into it.

"Sit. Stay." I pointed at him and the couch. "You." My finger turned to Damon, already a few steps away, eager to get going. "Talk. _Now_."

Reluctantly, Damon followed me out into the hallway, Stefan close behind. That guy always seemed to be in the outskirts of a situation, listening to everything going on, but never really doing anything useful. He was just… _there_.

"Do _not_ drag my brother into this vamp-mess." I poked my finger into Damon's chest. " _That's_ crossing a line," I warned.

"Relax _,_ " Damon calmed and pushed away my hand, waving off my glare. "I just wanna see who this girl is. Make sure she isn't some crazy chick who's involved with that stalker vampire."

"I will _not_ let Jer come with you." I stood my ground and folded my arms in front of my chest, squinting my dark eyes at Damon. He returned the favor with his blue stare.

"Parker," Stefan suddenly spoke, softly. "It might be for the best. Just to make sure she's safe."

"No."

"But–"

"I said: _no_!" I replied stubbornly. I could do this all day. Unlike Damon.

"It will take, like, thirty minutes tops," he grunted. "Come on!"

" _No_." Why weren't they getting this through their thick skulls?

"You're being stupid and childish," Damon snapped. "I can take him with me by force–"

" _Damon_ …" Stefan warned.

" _But_ , I won't." Damon took a step closer, lowering the volume of his voice, making it sound more gentle. Although it made no difference for Stefan since, well, vamp-hearing. "Because so far, we've had mutual respect for one another. Don't change that now. I won't let anything happen to Jeremy if the girl turns out to be bad news." Within his blue eyes something earnest was swirling. Could he truly be honest about this? I kind of wanted to believe him, but I still didn't like any of it.

" _Fine_ ," I ultimately grunted, pinning my eyes shut to block out the image of Damon's triumphant smirk. No matter how much I hated it, it always felt as if I kept giving in to other people's wishes these days. "But I wanna come–" I stated firmly, but a barely unnoticeable shake of Stefan's head behind Damon's back had me changing my mind. There was something in the younger Salvatore's gaze that made me do a double-take. "Never mind," I sighed. "I don't wanna see my baby bro on a date," I quickly came up with off the top of my head.

Damon seemed convinced enough by this short answer, not noticing the tensed atmosphere that Stefan had caused.

"Great!" Damon rubbed his hands together. "Be right back." He went to grab my brother from the TV-room.

As Jeremy was dragged past me, he looked at me for confirmation that everything was cool. I nodded, and his mood eased up a bit. The door shut behind them with a bang, and thus they were gone.

" _You_." I turned to Stefan, whose gaze was ignoring mine by admiring the floorboards, but I forced it to raise with the firm tone in my voice. "Have some _serious_ explaining to do."


	16. Antagonistic Accomplice

As it turned out, Stefan – the little _idiot_ – had already gotten the oh so desirable journal. Which meant that Jeremy had gone to the Grill for _nothing_. Just because Stefan had lied to Damon to keep up the act.

But if that wasn't enough, now, _I_ had also been roped in to help dig up the grave of the Salvatore's father! Apparently, according to the journal and Stefan's logical thinking, the witch's grimoire which contained the spell needed to get Katherine out of the tomb was buried with Papa Salvatore.

Even though I'd told Elena I wouldn't help, _here_ I was! Terrific.

The cemetery was dark, only a flickering fire, a torch and Elena's flashlight providing some light. But even with that, still, the only thing I could see was the obscurity of the soft earth. We had dug down a good meter and my sweat was beginning to break, instantly turning cold in the frosty air, when Stefan's shovel hit something hard. A look was shared, before he bent down to sweep away the top coat of earth covering a coffin. Elena's flashlight spread a dancing light over the scene as I did my best to not stand on top of the buried coffin's lid when Stefan tried to pry it open.

"Is that it?" Elena breathed heavily.

Even in this bad light, I could see the tears in Stefan's eyes as he looked down at his father's skeleton, unmoving. Even if the man had been an asshole in every way, your dad was still – and always would be – your dad. Even when he laid in his grave. Without thinking twice about it, I moved to retrieve the grimoire from the corpse's arms in Stefan's stead, shutting the lid with a confirming nod to the vampire. It was over. He looked grateful; in that humbly annoying way of his.

With ease, I lifted myself up from the dug up grave, brushing the earth off of my jeans once my feet stood stably on the correctly leveled ground. Whilst Stefan, still in the grave, and Elena were kneeling by the grimoire, I suddenly felt a tingling sensation in my neck. The feeling of being watched. I turned around to spy into the darkness, but could only hint silhouettes of trees or other old tombstones.

But then:

"Well, what do you know?" a voice suddenly called out, one that I recognized _far_ too well by now.

Merely a few feet away, hidden by darkness, Damon was standing with his lips curled into a snarl. His gaze rapidly flew over the scene; Stefan and Elena startled beside me, the shovels, the fire and the dug up grave, to finally land on me. In that short moment, it felt as if someone had just fired a bullet into my chest, the pain in Damon's eyes spreading through me.

"This is an interesting turn of events," Damon spoke. Bitterly.

"I can't let you bring her back," Stefan explained simply. Tears still present in his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"So am I. For thinking for even a _second_ that I could trust you."

"Oh. You're not _capable_ of trust." Damon's jaw clenched at Stefan's words. "The fact that you're here means that you read the journal and you were planning on doing this yourself."

"Of course I was going to do it by myself, because the only one I can count on is _me_!" _Ouch._ "You made sure of that many years ago, Stefan." Even if there was probably still more to the story than I knew, the pain of how Stefan's action had ultimately put Katherine in that tomb seemed to burn in Damon's eyes. "But you…" Damon's gaze drifted over to me as he continued. "I thought we were passed _this_." His face was full of emotion when he spoke. Whatever he meant by _this_ , perhaps the detailed information we had shared about our lives, made me regret the decision to come and help Bonnie and Clyde dig up the damn book.

As much as I wanted to lower my gaze into the dirt, not bearing to see Damon's clenched jaws and his lips pressed into a thin line, I refused my own wish. And stared at those blue eyes only mirroring the fire's dancing light.

"So what are you going to do now? Because if you try and destroy that, I'll–" Damon's gaze once again left Stefan to land on me. I frowned. What was he thinking?

"You won't hurt her." Stefan spoke surely, glancing over at me to make sure I was still standing next to him, perfectly fine. Besides from the burning lump of guilt in my throat, of course.

It all happened so fast. My eyes were still locked with Damon's when I saw him make the decision. Instead of whooshing over to me, the sound traveled further and made me turn around to see his arm wrapped around Elena's throat, as she scratched at it to catch her breath.

"No!" I let out and tried to throw myself at him, fury beneath my skin wanting to be unleashed and play. But two firm arms wrapped around me in a second and kept me back. "You bastard!" I seethed, not entirely sure whether it was directed to Stefan or Damon. I struggled against the grip, but Stefan firmly held me back, preventing me from _beating the shit out of that dickhead Damon_! Even though he was probably just trying to hurt me as much as I had hurt him, this felt like crossing some kind of line. But we had now both betrayed the other's trust. And all in one tonight.

"I can do one better," Damon snapped back, biting into his wrist before pressing his bloody wound to Elena's lips. She struggled, only muffled words coming from her lips as Damon's blood was forced down her throat, and he went on. "Give me the book, or I'm snapping her neck. Then you two will have a newbie vampire on your hands." His blue, burning eyes flew between me and Stefan as he spoke.

"Let her go first," Stefan pleaded. His grip around me had loosened, as if he could feel that I wouldn't lunge at Damon. What good would that do now?

"The book!" Damon insisted after he _finally_ released Elena's mouth from the bloodstream oozing from his wrist.

Endless threats built up inside of me. Scenarios playing out in my head, and all of them ending with a stake shoved into Damon's heart, as well as one or two in some _other_ unpleasant places... But all I could do was stand there, benumbed with anger, and watch the scene.

After all, _I_ had no leverage on Damon. _Stefan_ was the one doing the bargaining. All I did was stand next to him, resisting the urge to grab the book and throw it in Damon's face, while my eyes made up for it by throwing daggers at him.

"I'm not going to give this to you until she is standing next to me," Stefan spoke, sounding as if he was close to tears. I allowed my murdering gaze to leave Damon for a moment, eyeing Stefan in a new light instead. He _truly_ cared for my sister. That still didn't mean I liked the guy, but he _was_ willing to sacrifice the entire population of Mystic Falls – since _a lot_ of people would probably die if Damon opened the tomb – only to save Elena. Stefan had the heart in the right place; or, around the same place as my own.

"Problem is, I no longer trust that you'll give it back," Damon bit off.

"You just did the one thing that ensures that I will," Stefan said earnestly, his eyes still looking watery.

After a moment, Damon nodded for Stefan to put the book down, and the younger brother followed the instructions; why he didn't he just _throw_ it at that bastard instead was beyond me. Instantly, I stepped out in front of Stefan, thereby _totally_ cockblocking his and Elena's possibly romantically heroic reunion, but I _didn't_ _care_!

Slowly, Damon released Elena from his grip, never breaking our eye contact. Not until my terrified sister had grabbed my hand. I pulled her into a tight hug and buried my face in her hair as she clung onto me for dear life, before I allowed her to embrace Stefan.

With one last stone cold look towards Damon, receiving the same from him in return, I backed away to follow the couple into the dark forest. Thus leaving the heartbroken and furious vampire alone with his damn book.

* * *

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Let me check. Give me the flashlight."

"Ow! Why are you shining it into my eyes? Stop that!"

"Well, I don't have one of those small things that doctors have, so this will have to do. Just keep them open!"

"Parks!"

My sister shoved my hand away, visibly annoyed as we stood in a clearing near the road and parked car.

"You're crazy!" Elena fought my attempts to shine her eyes with the flashlight. "I'm fine! Can we just get in the car and get out of here? _Now_ , please." She glanced back at the forest, perhaps fearing that Damon would show up and finish what he started. _He would have to go through me first._

"Sounds like a good idea," Stefan spoke and began guiding me to the backseat of Elena's car. Roughly, I shrugged off his touch.

"Thanks," I said, a bit sharply. But it wasn't only for that act, as Elena thought when she rolled her eyes at my stubbornness, but because he'd chosen her just now; consequences be damned. Stefan seemed to understand that, removing his gentle hand from my back with a nod.

* * *

"This isn't the house," I stated once I had done a double take out the car window and seen my apartment building instead of the white villa I called my childhood home. I stuck my head in between the two front seats. "Are you two trying to ditch me?" My finger flew accusingly between the couple.

"It's been a long day, Parks," Elena sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I just wanna go home and sleep. You should do the same."

The worn out feeling that had filled my being ever since after my shift at the Grill _was_ beginning to return now when the adrenaline's effect had started to wear off. I couldn't believe I was going to say this, but….

"You're right, Elena."

"I'm what now?" My sister turned around in her seat to stare at me with wide eyes. _Shocked._

"Good night," I said loudly. Quickly, I swung the car door open and slammed it shut after me to block out any further words out of my sister's mouth, running up the stone steps to the door.

Once inside the dark stairwell, I sighed and leaned my back against the wall. Elena would be _insufferable_ after this! Better to stay clear for a while.

* * *

If there was one thing that never seemed to change, it was how much I loved sleep. So much so that I didn't even hear the 600 calls from an unknown number, only noticing them once I woke up. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I frowned at the display before calling back.

"Hello?"

"Parker!"

"Stefan?" What did he want? "Why the sudden amount of crazy calls?" I inquired, muffling a yawn.

"Elena's been kidnapped."

" _WHAT_?" I almost fell off of my couch. Thankfully, my soft rug and fast reflexes helped ease the fall.

"But she's safe now."

"Thank God!" I put a hand over my pounding heart. "Are you trying to give me a heartattack, Stef? Saying things like that!" Stefan didn't answer, instead, I heard other voices on his side of the line.

"Parks!" a familiar soft voice called.

"Elena! You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. But I need your help."

Signing, I crawled back up onto the couch. Hadn't last night been enough? " _Now_ what?"

"Well…"

There was a lot up now, I would seem. Like Elena having been kidnapped by the Anna girl who'd try to worm her way into Jeremy's heart – mental note: make sure she stays _far_ away from him in the future – who apparently _also_ wanted the grimoire to free her _mother_ from the tomb. Also, in the midst of the drama it turned out Bonnie had been kidnapped as well, by none other than Anna's accomplice: the bartender Ben; _whose newbie vampire jock head I was going to rip clean off the second I saw him_.

Now, they were cooking up a new plan, and _they_ included Elena, Stefan, Bonnie and her Grams. So far, the plan was to open that damn tomb and free Katherine, finally getting rid of Damon. _But_ for that they needed _my_ help to persuade him that there would be no funny business this time. Ugh.

"Do I _have_ to?" I whined and sank back into the light gray couch.

"Yes," Elena stated. "Damon trusts you, he'll listen." She almost sounded a little reluctant to admit it.

" _Trusted_ ," I corrected. "I broke that just as much as you two did last night." I could practically see Stefan pace around next to Elena, undoubtedly listening to my every word.

"Give me that," someone said in the background, and _Bonnie_ of all people spoke to me through the phone. "You're scary good at manipulating people, Parks. If anyone can convince him, it's _you_." She had a point there, and if I did perhaps this whole madness would be over.

"Oh, you flatter me, Bonnie-Bear!" I purred, smugly. "Fine! I'll do it. Tell the other two they owe me. Big time."

"You got it!" Bonnie promised, before Elena took back the phone.

"That sounded like good news?" she tested.

"I'm doing it. I'll bring him to the tomb tonight." With that, I ended the call, and couldn't help but release a sigh. Not only would I miss my shift at the Grill for this, but I also had to meet the last person I wanted to talk to in the world right now.

What a day this would be…

* * *

"You should start locking your door!" I called through the Salvatore mansion.

A sound from further into the building – what seemed to be a library or study, given the endless rows of books – had me making my way towards it. As I twirled around the corner, grabbing onto the doorframe in the process, I was met by Damon's surprised face.

"Unless you enjoy uninvited guests, that is." Once further into the room, I leaned forward to take support by a dark wooden railing, peering down at Damon on the level a few feet below me. He held the grimoire in his arms, and hugged it tighter in my presence.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, frowning deeply.

"Offering you a deal," I stated. " _Even though_ you threatened my sister only hours ago. And apparently refused to help save her from Jer's bitchy vamp-crush, as well." Or so I'd been told.

"Did you help stage a jailbreak?" A small, careful smirk crept onto Damon's face.

"I _could_ have. But Stefan handled it all on his own."

"Ah, brother," Damon mumbled. "Ever the white knight." The air around us was chilly, even as Damon tried to seem relaxed by casually leaning against a dresser, the grimoire now loosely held by his hip.

"It's really annoying," I commented. "But that's not the point." I clapped my hands against the railing and allowed my fingers to smooth over it as I moved along it, taking the few steps down to Damon's level of the room. "I'm here because Bonnie agreed to help you open the tomb." I stopped before Damon with my arms folded over my chest.

"Oh, I doubt that," he answered bitterly.

"Are you gonna bitch because you didn't get to help dig the book up? By all means! It was _so much fun_ to grab it from you father's corpse. A true sight to behold." Unlike Stefan, Damon seemed unmoved by the description of my act.

"Well, at least you're honest." His dismissive comment followed the usual defensive pattern.

"I only helped my newly heroic sister to get to it. I don't, nor have I ever, wanted _any part_ in this mess," I empathized. "Blame your brother for that."

"I already blame him for a lot of things."

"I know," I spoke, seriously. Damon avoided my gaze, presumably also reliving the moment in the car. "I might have betrayed our… _understanding_ last night," I started out softly, however, that sort of thing never worked for me. "But you did the very same thing," I went on to point out. And something dark was still twisting inside of me because of it. "Yet here I am, offering you a once in a lifetime deal! What could you _possibly_ lose by taking it?" I tilted my head to the side and awaited his response.

After a moment, Damon groaned. "I wish I could believe you."

"You _can_." I moved closer, taking his hand to place it on my heart. It was a bold move, but I was out of anything else to offer. "You said it yourself, not even a fantastic liar can prevent the heart from betraying them. Ask me, and you'll both hear _and_ feel that I'm being honest." I forced his blue gaze to meet mine. Damon looked down at his hand, staring at it and my hand laid over his for a long moment. He sighed, turning his gaze back up at my serious face again. Slowly, he removed my hand from his and dropped his own from my chest.

"I'm trusting you." His blue eyes seemed to tell the truth. "Don't make me regret it," he warned, his brows furrowed.

"Wouldn't dream of it," I replied. I could only hope he wouldn't take my heart suddenly skipping a beat as lying.


	17. Busting Them Out

"Oh no…" I sighed when we walked past a bunch of parked cars, the music growing louder and louder the deeper we moved into the woods. Everywhere, bonfires were lit and teenagers huddled around them to chug down beer, laugh and have fun out in the cold. Duke's annual party. "Tell me if you see a tall, douchey-looking guy," I told Damon.

"Friend of yours?" He smirked.

" _Long_ ago." I glanced over my shoulder, hoping _not_ to catch a glimpse of the familiar face.

"What did you do?"

"Oh, you know." I shrugged faintly, scanning the woods. "Steal a car, crash it, the usual." But with good reason! After the dickhead cheated on my – kind of – good friend Laura, he deserved it! Although I doubted he agreed with that.

"Hey, Parker!" _Crap!_ I swung around, ready for a fight, but instead of meeting a bulldog-y face, two blondes – although Matt's hair was hidden by a gray beanie – dressed in warm clothes approached us.

"Parker! Oh my God, where have you been?" Caroline asked, just as chipper as usual. She quickly grabbed Matt's hand and intertwined their fingers; _someone_ was clearly keen on making a certain dark-haired guy jealous. "I haven't seen you in ages!" It _had_ been a while. The last time I _actually_ talked to Caroline was the same night that I had first met... _well_. I glanced over at the devil in question.

"Long story, no time to tell it," Damon spoke beside me.

"I wasn't talking to you," Caroline retorted.

"Sure you were." Damon smirked. Caroline's eyes locked with mine, then shot into the ground.

"We haven't met. I'm Matt." Kennedy held out his hand for Damon, as a way of easing up the tension. At this point, you could cut the teenage drama with a knife.

"Matt. There's a reason we haven't met." Damon nodded towards the extended hand. "You and I are going that way," he continued and grabbed my arm, pushingly leading me away from the scene, and with a roll of my eyes I let him.

"See you later!" I called to Matt and Caroline over my shoulder. They were about to have a _serious_ couples related conversation. When had _that_ happened anyway? " _Smooth_ ," I added in a hushed tone to Damon, attempting to rip my arm from his grip.

"Like you weren't longing to get away from them," Damon replied, easing his grip. But as I stumbled on a branch hidden in the dark, he took a firmer hold. And didn't let go.

The noise from the party faded away, as well as the light from the fires, replaced by dark trees rising up from the soft earth.

"Well, this is cozy," I spoke. A twig snap somewhere behind us.

"Here we are," Damon answered, his hand slipping from my arm. He whistled two small tones, and four dark figures further ahead turned around to face us. "Brother. Witches," Damon greeted and nodded towards Stefan, then Bonnie and Sheila. "Ice queen," he finished for Elena, and I had to suppress a laughter that threatened to burst out, not succeeding very well. I probably received some glares for that, but it was too dark to tell.

"Everything okay?" Stefan asked me.

" _Super._ " I stopped before the gathered little crowd, ignoring Elena's squinted gaze as I rubbed my hands together for some warmth. "Let's get this over with."

* * *

As Sheila lit torches placed all around the tomb, I watched her and Bonnie's preparations from the entrance with my arms folded, keeping a close eye on Damon and another focused on Elena. A bad feeling was settling in my stomach, spreading fast. So much could go wrong, and probably would since _I_ hadn't been present when the plan had been drawn up.

"Air. Earth. Fire," Sheila spoke and lit the final torch. The whole scene felt a bit like a bad witch movie, summoning the four elements.

"Water." Bonnie held up a water bottle for her Grams, who then poured it out on the floor.

"That's it? Just water from the tap?" Elena sounded almost a little...disappointed. But the witch stuff usually never got any more fun than this.

"As opposed to what?" Sheila asked, continuing to empty the last drips of water onto the earthy floor.

"I just figured maybe it would have to be blessed or mystical or something," Elena mumbled. I released a chuckle from her side. Sheila just smirked at my little sister. The noise from me got strangled as I noticed Damon fiddling with something in his pocket.

"What's that?" Stefan shone his flashlight towards his brother, revealing a blood bag in Damon's hands.

"It's for Katherine. Gotta have something to get her going. Unless someone's offering up a vein to tap." Damon turned to glance over at me.

"Dream on," I spoke coldly, earning a smirk. I would definitely _not_ miss _that_ once he was gone, driving into the sunset with that Katherine bitch, or whatever starcrossed vampire lovers did once they were reunited.

Elena moved behind me, rubbing her arms for a little warmth.

"You okay?" I turned to check, abandoning my watch on Damon for a moment. She nodded, although not very convincingly. "Should have brought a warmer jacket," I pointed out like a proper older sister, pulling at her thin, black leather jacket. Elena shivered, casting a glance at my own dark brown one as she rearranged her scarf to warm her neck more.

"How come you're okay?" Because this wasn't my first time, and with the adrenaline building up I would barely have needed a shirt.

"We're ready," Bonnie spoke up from the floor before I could answer. With all eyes watching them, she and her Grams kneeled down next to the oh-so famous grimoire.

* * *

It felt as if we had stood there for hours, listening to Bonnie and her Grams chant in their magical language, when the flames around them _finally_ lit up and the stone door that led into the tomb opened with a loud crack.

"It worked!" Bonnie stated with a gasp. Her exhaustion wasn't hard to miss. Considering how long that spell had lasted, it wasn't weird if it had drained her.

"Of course it worked," Sheila answered her.

"Don't you have some fires to build?" Damon said, turned to Stefan. For the other vampires within that stone door, never allowed to see the light of day of the town who doomed them.

"I'm gonna go get the gasoline, I'll be right back." Stefan gave Elena a reassuring pat on her arm before making his way towards the stair to exit the tomb. But before he headed up the stairs, some whispered words were directed in my direction. "Keep your eyes opened."

It was too quiet for Elena or the others to hear, but I was sure Damon did, as he looked directly at me when Stefan brushed past me. His gaze wandered to Bonnie and Sheila, then back to me again, to finally land on Elena.

Within the blink of an eye, he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him unkindly. I moved to react before thinking. He was _not_ going to put her in danger _again_! Once during 24 hours was more than enough! But Damon stopped me by a raise of his hand.

" _Don't_ , Parker!" he warned. Grunting, I stayed put. There was something in his eyes telling me it best to, for once, obey. The blue orbs seemed to mirror and show just how desperately he wanted Katherine back. And what he was willing to do for it. Damon turned to the witches. "You think I'm gonna go in there by myself so you can seal me in?"

"You think I'm gonna let you take her?" I retorted for them and drew his attention back to me. There was a slight eye standoff between us, before Sheila spoke up to break it.

"I'll bring the walls down if you take her in."

"You'll bring the walls down if I don't. You think I trust you?" Damon's voice was _dangerously_ low.

"As much as I trust you," Sheila replied, not even flinching.

"If you take her, I'll stake you myself," I spat at him through my gushing rage. Did Damon look slightly hurt by my comment, or was it just the light from the fire playing with his features? Honestly, I couldn't care. Not when he still held onto my sister with whitening knuckles.

"Enough!" Elena looked at me. "He needs leverage. He needs to know that the doors aren't gonna shut when he gets inside. I get it." I wanted to scream at her, my lips twisting from keeping back the harangue of curses. "I'll go," she finished. "Parks?" Her eyes searched my face for some kind of confirmation that I wasn't going to run in after them. If only I could find a good reason not to; besides following her wish.

With a grunt, filled with frustration, I nodded shortly.

After one final deadly glare on Damon, he grabbed a torch and went inside the tomb, my sister following with her flashlight raised. Thus, leaving me standing there like an idiot. Stomping my foot in frustration.

* * *

They were gone too long. During which my mind not only came up with horrible scenarios what could be occurring inside that tomb, but also a girl with raven black hair descended from the stairs behind me. Given who knew about the tomb and wanted in, it was presumably Anna.

"Where do you think you're going?" I uncrossed my arms, reaching for a torch. Sadly, she was faster – being a vampire – and pushed me into the rounded stone wall. The back of my head hit hard against it, and for a moment my vision blackened and the world was set spinning.

Once I'd regained my sight, she had continued moving towards the tomb. But Bonnie stepped into her way.

"Hey, you're not going in there!"

"You think you can stop me?" Anna threatened, glancing over at me to prove what would happen. I hissed, bringing a hand to press at my aching head.

"Bonnie…" Sheila spoke up, looking sharply at her grandchild. After a moment, Bonnie reluctantly stepped aside, allowing Anna to run into the tomb after she'd grabbed a flashlight from the floor.

The second her dark curls merged with the darkness, the young witch ran over to my side, offering an extended hand to help me up. With a face mirroring strained thanks, I took it whilst carefully rubbing the back of my head. It hadn't been long since Stefan ' _accidently'_ threw me into a wall at the Gilbert house, and a stone wall hurt _a lot_ more. Retrieving my fingers, I thankfully found them without blood. Always something.

"Why did you let her go in?" Bonnie furiously asked her Grams when she noticed I could stand upright without any support.

"Because she isn't coming out, baby. None of them are."

"Excuse me?" Maybe my hearing had been affected from my head's impact with the wall, but it almost sounded as if…

"Opening the door didn't remove the seal that keeps the vampires from coming out. It only opened the door," Sheila explained and, I swear, in that moment my heart stopped in my chest.

I had _promised_ Damon that there would be no betrayals, I couldn't break that after what happened yesterday.

Right on time, Stefan returned. His gaze glanced around as he seemed to realize the situation. We shared a look and I shook my head. _Stubborn Elena_ , I mouthed at him and he responded by smiling sadly. Really, I thought that would be it, but as the 'white knight' he was, Stefan ran towards the entrance of the tomb.

" _Hey!_ " I protested loudly. If _I_ wasn't allowed to do that, than neither was he!

Thankfully, Sheila stopped him for me by grabbing his arm. "Stefan! If you go in there, you won't come out."

Stefan's gaze flew around the room, landing on me to look for an explanation. I shook my head, it hurt way too much for me to put it reasonably for him. "What did you do?" he instead asked Sheila.

She repeated her explanation.

"What's the seal?" Stefan sounded close to panic when he stared down at the old witch.

"Some seals keep vampires from entering. This one keeps them from coming out."

"Elena's human. She can leave," Stefan made clear for himself. "Anna and Katherine can't. Damon can't." He looked over at me, but I had already figured that out. "You were never planning on breaking the spell, were you?" he asked Sheila.

"I told you." She took a step back. "I will protect my own. Elena can get out. That's all that matters."

Stefan clenched his fists, then walked over to me. "What happened?"

As I gave him a short version of the events, a sharp pain shot out from my head. As if instinctively, Stefan's hand shot to steady me.

"You okay?" He seemed more anxious than me when checking for blood around the place of the impact, but I remembered Elena mentioning he had a bit of a problem with that area. _Some vampire._

But I didn't get a chance to answer, as a high-pitched scream echoed from the tomb, undoubtedly coming from my sister. Before anyone could stop him, Stefan had dashed into the darkness after it without a moment's hesitation, but Bonnie held me back from doing the same as I tried to follow. _Damn!_ Stupid vampire-speed _always_ won!

"I'll fix it," she whispered to me, before turning around to yell at her Grams.

They began fighting over how they weren't strong enough to perform the spell and blah, blah, blah. Truthfully, I stopped listening pretty quickly. All that mattered was that they ultimately began reading through the grimoire in search of the right spell to remove the seal.

It was whilst watching them do that, that I noticed someone with long, pin-straight hair emerge from the tomb.

"Elena!" I ran and pulled her into my embrace, simultaneously dragging her away from the entrance.

"Stefan's right behind me." She hugged me back with a glance over her shoulder. And as said, Stefan reappeared, although unable to set his foot outside the tomb. "Stefan, what are you doing?"

"It's gonna be okay. We'll fix it," Bonnie reassured. I held my sister tighter, afraid she might run back into the tomb.

"What is it?" Elena desperately tried to break free from my embrace. She stopped her struggling for a moment to look at me for some clarification.

"He can't come out. The spell's still up," I laid out carefully. Elena's head shot between me and Stefan.

"We can't get them out _yet_ ," Bonnie added.

"You went in there not knowing if you could come back out?" There were tears in Elena's eyes now. Stefan avoided her gaze. "Oh my God."

"I heard you scream," Stefan explained, his voice hoarse. Suddenly, I felt as if I was intruding on something private. My arms loosened their grip around my sister.

"We can't leave Damon in there. Not after the promises that's been made," I told Stefan over Elena's head.

"I know." He nodded.

"Even if we're able to break through the seal, we won't be able to hold it for long," Sheila informed gravely from behind us. Stefan understood, going back into the darkness of the tomb for Damon.

* * *

The magical chanting began once more. And it seemed to be working! Soon enough, Anna returned with her arm wrapped around a weak, gray-looking vampire; probably her mother.

"I just wanted my mother back. Jeremy's fine. He's outside. We won't touch him," Anna reassured and slowly moved towards the exit. She halted and looked in my direction. "Sorry about that." She nodded towards my head, before leaving with her mother.

The burning torches began to falter as Bonnie and Sheila gasped from exhaustion.

"They better hurry!"

Elena paced around nervously, eyeing the entrance to the tomb. It was easy to see how her thoughts turned, but before she got the chance to act on any of her stupid impulses, I pushed her back into a wall and ran into the tomb myself.

It was dark, pitch-black actually, and I was _very_ thankful for the light on my phone. Who would have thought this piece of crap had a _flashlight!_

Around me, I could sense the starving vampires, almost hear how they sniffed after the fresh blood bag just entering. Keeping as far away from the walls as possible as I moved further into the deep darkness, I was forced to step over vampires who gasped at the probably delicious smell of my blood. It was in the middle of doing this that I heard shouting further ahead, as well as glimpsing a dancing light from a flame.

"She's not here!" Damon's distinctive voice roared before a thud was heard, something hit a wall..

"Damon, we need to get out of here," Stefan told him, urgently.

"This doesn't make sense, they locked her inside…"

"If we don't leave now, we're not getting out!" 16:30

As I got closer, I could hear them continuing their banter. Dashing inside, I was greeted by the shocked faces of the brothers.

"Damon! You're gonna be stuck in here _forever_!" I shouted, slightly out of breath. "Screw Katherine and _let's go_!"

Damon stared at me, his nostrils flared out in anger and his eyes filled with sadness. Actually, I was a bit taken aback by that last part. It was an emotion that I hadn't seen on his face before. I couldn't claim that I liked it. At all. But why was it even bugging me?

The two brothers were both still standing there like idiots, so I grabbed Damon's hand and pulled him with me, hearing Stefan follow closely behind us. Once again I passed the desiccated vampires, now dragging Damon behind me.

 _Finally,_ we stumbled through the stone door, leaving the thick darkness behind. The door shut with a loud thud the very second Stefan had sat his foot outside, too, and Bonnie and Sheila gasped before they collapsed on the floor from exhaustion. Elena practically _threw_ herself at Stefan, and he hugged her back just as tightly.

Whilst watching their reunion, I became extremely aware of my hand still entwined with Damon's. Quickly, I snatched it back and started brushing away some imaginary dust from my clothes. However, he only went past me and out of the tomb without a word nor a glance directed my way. _Nice_. Although, he _had_ just lost the love of his life, or whatever she was to him.

" _Jeremy!_ " I suddenly remembered. Stefan and Elena reluctantly drew away from each other to follow me out of the tomb.

Even though it was dark, I saw a bumpy shape not belonging in the darkness of the forest, and sprinted towards it. My little brother laid unconscious on the ground. He grunted when I shook him, which meant that he was fine. I released a quick sigh of relief and leaned back.

"He's okay. He's all right." Stefan and Elena knelt down beside me.

Just then, a figure moving out in the corner of my eye caught my attention. It was Damon, looking absolutely _crushed_ as he stared out into the dark forest before him. I had never seen him like this before. Hurt? Yes. Mad? Yep. Sad? Well, just now in the tomb, yeah. But destroyed? This was _completely_ new ground. And new territory meant new and untested actions.

Slowly, I walked over to Damon, stopping before him to look up into his expressionless face. What I was about to do felt very much like an Elena-like thing to do, but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. Tip-toeing slightly, even in my heels, I wrapped my arms around Damon and forced him into a quick hug. A weak attempt at comforting.

Neither of us said anything when I drew back, but it felt less weird than I'd originally thought it would. He only stared at me, but no words were needed. I knew the pain of losing someone you hold dear.

As I turned around to head back, I was met by my sister's face wearing a small smile. She encouragingly nodded at me to compliment my deed. Proof! I _knew_ it was an Elena-like action! All that was missing now was my sister giving me two thumbs up, and the supportive suburban mom image would be complete.

"Shut up," I told her proud beam as I walked past her and back towards our dazed brother.


	18. Roped into the Mess

"No."

"Come on, Parker!"

"No!" I folded my arms, determined. "I'm _not_ working a night shift when the Grill is going to be filled with women bidding and hoping to win the ' _right man'_."

"It's a busy night! We need everyone to chip in." Bella held a writing pad in her hand with a pen hovering inches over its surface, waiting for the second I would back down so that she could instantly sign me up.

Slowly, I leaned forward. " _No_."

"Please, Parker!" Bella blew out a frustrated sigh. I could practically see the cartoon light bulb lit up over her head when she realized something. "You skipped your shift the other night, you owe me this." Her pen now pointed at me to underline her words. _Damn._ I had forgotten all about that. But that does remind me… _I_ have a favor to call in from Stelena.

"Fine," I reluctantly agreed, although my thoughts were too wrapped up in figuring out things I might need from my sister and her vamp-boyfriend to notice Bella's triumph as she finally got to write down my name.

"Great! You start at 6PM," and with that, she was gone. Leaving me blinking.

As I walked back to the table housing my aunt, I stated that I _really_ needed to stop going to the Grill when I didn't have a shift. But when you're too lazy to cook, that employee discount sure sounds tempting.

"What was that about?" Jenna asked as I sat down at our booth with a loud thud.

"I just got roped into working the fundraiser-thing," I sighed, emptying my drink. _Euw_ , water.

"You'll get used to it," Jenna told my frown.

"Which? The crazy small town or the non-alcoholic stuff?" I asked and held up my glass. "'Cause I'll _never_ get used to this shit."

"Both," Jenna chuckled, but there was a bitter undertone. Neither of us really _liked_ this town, but we grew up here, and when your family needs you…

"We'll see," I grumbled and watched Bella walk around between the employees, attempting to fool yet another sucker to work the dreaded night.

* * *

As I stood trying to decide what one should wear to this type of thing – apart from my t-shirt with the Grill's logo, maybe experimenting with either pants or skirts – a muffled buzzing came from a pile of clothes on the floor. Quickly settling for a pair of dark jeans thrown on the floor of my walk-in-closet, getting them on just as swiftly, I moved to dig through the jumble to eventually find my dark brown leather jacket, and in its pocket the little brick now entitled as my phone since I was too lazy – and poor – to buy a new one.

"Hello," I greeted and tried to rearrange the pile of clothes to lock less….well, pile-y.

"Parks," Elena sighed with relief.

"What's up, sister-from-another-mother? And father," I joked and gave up my attempt at organizing. It was useless anyway. Instead, I went to pick out a pair of shoes. Even if flats would be kinder on my feet, the high-heeled boots called to me. And there was a reason why; the bendable knives tucked in under the shoe's soles. Best way to boost one's confidence.

" _Actually_ , about that…" Now what? "Jenna did some research on my birth mom, and… she found a name. And a friend from her high school days!" I leaned back, sighing. I had _specifically_ advised Elena _not_ to dig into her mother's past; it _never_ ended well. I would know.

"What did you do, Elena?" I sighed and rubbed my forehead.

"I… Well, I went to visit the friend. Trudie Peterson. She acted really weird, and… I think she knows about vampires." I sat up a little straighter. This was taking a rather interesting turn.  
"What happened?"

"She didn't invite me in. And I _swear_ , there was vervain in the tea she made." Elena started to sound worked up. "And there was this man outside of her house, following me. Something really weird is going on." Elena was right, that did sound strange.

"Where are you now?" I grabbed my jacket from the floor, pressing my phone in place between my ear and shoulder as I swung my arms into it. Where had I cast aside my shoes?

"I went to Stefan's. On my way to the Grill now."

"Great! I'll met you there." Finally, I found my high-heeled boots underneath one of the pale, blue-gray, padded armchairs. I struggled to get them on on the go.

"There's one more thing. Or two, actually." Elena sighed. I could hear her fingers tap against her phone.

"Spill," I said and stopped by my front door, making sure I had everything I needed by going through my pockets one last time.

"My birth mom's name is… Isobel. As in Alaric's wife."

"Oh!" I gasped dramatically with a hand over my mouth. "Family drama!"

"Hey, I'm serious," Elena scolded. Apparently she wasn't in a joking mood, then; but Elena rarely was.

" _Sorry_." I jerked at the door to close it, struggling with the old lock by jabbing the key around a bit. I really needed to fix that. Like the bathroom, peeking at me from across the small hall.

"His _dead_ wife, Parks." The key slipped out of my hand and landed on the floor with a clinking sound, which echoed through the staircase.

" _Oh._ " This really wasn't the right time to say 'I told you so', buuuut… I had. Just for the record.

"And the last thing…" Elena let out one final sigh. Soon, she would be done with delivering the bad news.

"Hmm?" I abandoned my attempts at locking the door and made my way down the stairs instead.

"I met Damon at the Salvatore house. And he… Well, he's not doing so great. I thought you should know."

I furrowed my brows as I walked out into the early, chilly evening. "Why would I care?"

"Because…" Elena began, but her voice died out.

"Hellooo?" Only silence from the other end. "Elena?"

"Because I know you two have… _something_. Especially after what happened outside the tomb."

"I'm _royally_ pissed off at the guy," I said, my cold voice dripping ire into the phone. "He threatened you _twice_. _And_ decided that Jer's life was worth _nothing_ in his greater plan to bring his old girlfriend back. He deserved _everything_ that happened. A broken heart might actually do him some good."

"I'm sure you believe that," Elena spoke softly. "But I still think you care about him, in some weird way. And I just want you to know that it's okay."

"I don't need your acceptance, Elena," I snorted.

"I know." The woman's patience was enormous today, _even_ after she'd found out all that information about her biological mother. "But I still wanna say it."

"Okay," I ended the call with that after a moment of silence, mixed feelings surging through my body.

The truth was, I didn't particularly like the fact that the number of people I cared about was increasing. So far, I'd always been more or less detached, and perfectly satisfied with it. But now Elena, Jenna, Jeremy and, well yes, even Damon – _maaaybe_ Stefan – were all swirling their way into my heart. And I didn't like it. Caring about someone meant that you could lose them, which resulted in the risk of falling apart. Something I'd had enough of.

This needed got stop.

But even though I _genuinely_ meant that, I still enjoyed seeing my sister park her car by the sidewalk outside the Grill. I even felt _relieved_ when she came out in one piece and hugged me before we went inside to find Jenna.

 _Crap._ I was already in too deep. It was too late.

* * *

Just barely setting foot inside the building, Caroline stopped us by the door.

"Come on! Tribute with something," she urged, waving a box that seemed to work as some sort of cash register under my nose.

"I'm here working, that's enough," I scoffed and allowed my gaze to sweep over the room, on the lookout for Bella's platinum bob.

"Don't mind her," Elena defended me. "She's just a little cranky," my sister leaned in to whisper to her blonde friend, and both burst into laughter. Weird teenage girls. "I'll buy one for you, Parks," Elena continued teasingly, digging up some extra cash from her pocket. "Since it's for a good cause."

"You do that," I said absentmindedly, excusing myself when Matt approached. "Kennedy," I greeted with a nod as we passed. He responded with a roll of his eyes.

Moving through the Grill towards the staff room, I swept past the little scene that had attracted my attention earlier; Damon flirting with a smitten Mrs Lockwood, which made me want to throw up a little in my mouth. Mainly because I'd never liked the Lockwoods, since they all thought they were so much more important than the rest of the founding families, _only_ because some of their ancestors had been mayors of this town during several different occasions. Well, screw them. And screw her!

After a quick stop to drop off my jacket and other few things, I made it to behind the bar just in time to see the fundraiser soon about to begin. When I was finished tying my hair up, Jenna dropped down on a stool in front of me with a thud.

"Here. Compliments from Elena." She handed me about a dozen tickets.

"You're kidding," I accepted them with great skepticism.

"I think she's trying to get you laid." Jenna smirked.

"Elena?" I checked. " _Our_ Elena? Are you crazy!" Jenna just shrugged, keeping the smug smile on her face. "Shouldn't you be worried that someone's gonna steal _your_ _man_?" I pointed out in an attempt to erase her stupid grin.

"That's why I've got these." Jenna swung her purse up onto the counter. It was filled to the max with about the double amount of tickets in comparison to what Elena had bought for me.

This was ridiculous! I just couldn't keep a straight face.

"Stop laughing!" Jenna scolded when I doubled over behind the bar. "This is _war_." That just made me laugh even more. Soon, I could feel tears begin to form in my eyes as my stomach and dimples started to ache. Slamming my fist into the floor to create some pain, I hoped that maybe _that_ would stop my laughter. Bit it didn't help, and sadly I was beginning to attract some unwanted attention.

"Gilbert! Get yourself together," Bella seethed at me as she hurried past behind me. I tried, believe me, I _really_ tried. But it was all just so hilariously comical and, well, plain _crazy_! Given, my humor _could_ be a bit weird from time to time.

Unfortunately, Bella wasn't the only one who had heard my pouring laughter.

"What's so funny?" a silky smooth voice asked above me, making my laugh abruptly stop in my throat, almost to be turned into a cough. My gaze shot upwards, to be faced by Damon's blue eyes staring down at my place on the floor behind the bar. He raised his brows questioningly, and leaned back from the counter when I rose up.

"Nothing." I avoided his gaze by brushing off some dust from my clothes. They _really_ needed to clean the floors here more thoroughly.

"What's that?" Damon asked and pointed at my tickets on the counter.

"Nothing," I repeated and quickly grabbed them, stuffing them behind the bar and out of sight. "What do you want?" I asked Damon's smirk with a fake smile plastered on my face. Jenna's curious gaze flew between us when Damon tilted his head to the side, pulling that face that could only mean he was feeling flirtatious. "Hang on," I said and held up a finger in front of him. "Jenna." I turned to my aunt. "Why don't you go and keep Elena company."

"But I'm _really_ enjoying it here." She smiled meaningly at me.

" _Go,_ " I told her through gritted teeth. Jenna's strawberry blonde hair was thrown in a dramatic flip when she rose from her stool.

" _Fine._ " She kept smiling as she made her way over to Elena, looking back at me over her shoulder every once in awhile. _Ugh_ , she was being annoying today… My teeth remained gritted as I turned back to face Damon.

"Shouldn't you be up on the stage?" I snapped at him.

"Is someone bitter because they're afraid of losing the bidding?" Damon teased with a pout.

"Shut up."

"I hear the plumber's really attractive," he continued in an equally amused tone.

"Did you actually want something, or?" I questioned impatiently, tapping my fingers against the counter when he ignored me yet again.

"Or the history teacher. But maybe he's reserved for someone else…"

"There are other _paying_ customers here, Damon. Scurry off, will ya?" I didn't even have to look around to know that my statement was wrong. The long row of stools by the bar were all empty, everyone had taken a place closer to the stage.

"I hear he's got a troubled past. Dead ex-wife and all." Wait, what?

"How did you know that?"

Damon just kept smiling at me teasingly. "'Cause I met her once. She was, hmm…" He seemed to carefully choose his following word. " _Tasty_." _No he didn't!_ I stared at him, my mouth gaping. Elena would _freak_ when she found out about this. Damon turned around and looked at the other bachelors, now making their way up onto the stage. "Duty calls," he told me with a wry smirk.

"Wait!" I threw myself over the counter to get a hold of him, but it was too late. Damon had already made his way halfway through the room. _Dammit!_ A really bad feeling was nestling in my stomach, as if Damon was about to do something _extremely_ stupid.

Unfortunately, I was right.

Bella didn't mind that I abandoned my place tending to the bar, there were no customers there anyway. Easily, I found Jenna and Elena by a round table, seating myself between them.

"You got your tickets?" Elena teased and elbowed my side with a grin. She threw a meaning look at Damon up on the stage. She wasn't going to support our possible relationship for very much longer.

Carol Lockwood began presenting the bachelors. It all proceeded rather uneventfully; that bachelor did this, the other one did that, this one liked that thing, blah, blah, blah.

Alaric was cute and a little awkward, but it only made Jenna's smile widen, as if saying ' _he's mine!'_ During all this time, however, Damon kept eyeing me with that flirty sparkle in his eyes.

"Someone's staring," Elena whispered by my ear. I nudged her away, but she just kept grinning.

"That asshole should stop fooling around. I'm _not_ interested," I said sternly.

"I think he heard you," Elena sniggered, nodding towards the man in question.

" _Of course_ he did. That weasely vampire-gigolo doesn't know when to keep his nose, or maybe ears, out of other people's business," I bit off, smiling wryly when Damon pretended to put a hand over his 'hurt' heart. "Yeah, _right_."

"If this isn't your way of flirting, then I don't know what is," Elena mumbled beside me, and Damon's smirk grew. Wasn't he suppose to be heartbroken over Katherine? Or was this simply his way of rebounding?

"And last, but not least, Damon Salvatore," Carol said as she walked over to Damon with the microphone in her hand, flipping through her cue-cards. "We…don't have much on you." I noticed Elena leaning away to wave at someone behind my back, probably Stefan, but I was too focused on what was happening up on the stage to be sure. The rumbling, bad feeling in my stomach was growing stronger by the second. Damon was about to screw up. _Badly._

"Well, I'm tough to fit on a card," he explained into the mic.

"Do you have any hobbies, like to travel?" Carol inquired.

"Oh, yeah. L.A., New York," he began listing nonchalantly. "Couple of years ago, I was in North Carolina. Near the Duke campus, actually." Damon turned to Alaric, as if he was just now realizing this. _Oh boy…_ "I think—I think Alaric went to school there. Didn't you, Ric?" Damon received a cold glare from the history teacher. "Yeah, 'cause I—I know your wife did." I could feel Elena tense up beside me; that would have erased her grin quite nicely. _And_ rekindled her hatred for Damon, no doubt. "I had a drink with her once. She was—she was a great girl. I ever tell you that? 'Cause she was… Delicious. Mmm!"

Biting my lip, I turned to examine Elena's current state. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were blank.

"Are you okay?" Jenna asked, leaning over me to check on Elena more closely.

"I just need some air," Elena excused, her voice trembling slightly. Stefan was standing right behind us, and with one shared look of silent understanding he went after Elena whilst I turned to glare at Damon.

"Jeez!" Jenna breathed out beside me.

On the small stage, the show continued. However, Damon had been abandoned and Carol was now making smalltalk, building up the tension for the big reveal of which of the women had won which bachelor. Damon noticed my glares, raising his brows in question. As a response, I got up from my chair and moved towards the bathroom, never breaking our eye contact. He got the picture, slipped away unnoticed and followed me.

Feeling him follow, I walked around a corner and into an empty hallway, crossing my arms and preparing my absolute coldest glare as I awaited Damon's arrival.

"Wha– Ow!" Damon rubbed the back of his head. "What was _that_ for?"

"Don't pretend like you didn't deserve it," I growled, wishing I'd _punched_ him instead of just hitting him lightly in the head.

"What are you talking about?" Damon's brows furrowed. He sounded _genuinely_ confused.

"Did you _have_ to rub it in Alaric's face? Right _now_?" I sighed in frustration and threw my arms out. " _Really?_ " Damon still looked perplexed as heck. "You know, Elena was _this_ close–" I showed him a mere inch between my thumb and index finger. "–to approve of you. But _nooo_! You just _had_ to go and ruin it!"

Damon's frown remained, even deepening. "Am I missing something here?"

"Thanks, Parks," Elena spoke up from behind Damon, her voice cold as ice. "But I think I got this one." Damon took a step aside, revealing both my sister and her shadow of a boyfriend next to her. If Elena's voice wasn't oozing off her cold and hostile attitude, then her posture definitely was; every little muscle in her body seemed tense to the max. "You know my birth mother, who gave me up? Her name was _Isobel_." Damon's face fell when he came to the realization. "So go ahead. Reminisce about how you _killed_ her," Elena spat before making a dramatic exit. Although, I was pretty sure she wished she could have rammed into Damon's shoulder in the action, but he sadly wasn't in her escape path.

Even if I could have, I only shot Damon a cold glare as I walked past him. I refused to stick around long enough to hear what he might have to say; if he would even bother, with an apology or explanation. I doubted it.

Returning to the bar, I was just in time to see Jenna win her price: Alaric, that was. Carol announced that she was about to draw out who the winner of bachelor number five, Damon, putting her hand in a glass jar and shuffling around for a one of the tickets.

"37586!" she called out, spying around the bar after the lucky winner. No one made a move to accept their prize, not even as she repeated the victorious numbers. _Weird_.

A mess of red lottery tickets, stuffed in behind the bar, caught my eye. _Right_ , the ones Elena had bought for me. I wondered… I began flipping through them whilst keeping an eye on the scene in front of me. Carol had moved on, since no one had declared themselves the winner, and the bachelor himself was nowhere to be found either. But I still wanted to know…

 _There!_ At the very back, I found a crumpled ticket with the numbers 37586 written on it, and held it up into the shady light, just to be sure.

Huh, what were the odds? I won.


	19. Watch Me Not Care

It was one of those days when the only thing that felt possible to do was lay in bed all day. Hear my stomach growling with pain, the period cramps draining the energy from me. All I wanted to do was watch a movie, eat chips dipped in chocolate and ignore the outside world.

But work had other plans for me. So, it was time for me to put my acting skills to good use!

"Welcome to Mystic Grill! How may I help you?" Thankfully, I didn't catch Bella. She would've seen – or heard, I suppose – right through my act. But Roberta, the big boss of the Grill, as nice as she was, might be more easily fooled…

"Yes. Hi–" I began, just about to fake a cough when I decided against it. Roberta, unlike Bella, one could reason with. "My period hit me hard. I don't know if I'll be able come to work today." With a little politeness thrown in there, I felt confident enough to – for once – speak the truth.

"Oh. I understand completely," Roberta replied. "You take this day off and I'll see what I can do with your shift." Easy!

"Thanks."

Free for the day, I slammed my clamshell phone shut and slumped back in my couch, reaching after a blanket. Tending to my cramps and cravings could wait for a minute.

The day went on smoothly, meaning Elena _only_ disturbed me twice.

The first time to tell me she and Stefan were planning on going on a double date with Caroline and Matt. Good that those two kids had worked things out, but I was more happy that I wasn't working tonight. Truth be told, I was far from keen on seeing my sister on a double date with her ex, just thinking about it gave me shivers.

The second time my _dear_ little sister called me was later that evening, to then fill me in on how everything had gone.

"So let me get this straight," I began with my brows furrowed, laid on my couch with my head upside down and a heating pad resting on my stomach as I watched some crappy action movie. "You guys had a sorta awkward meal at the Grill, but still pretty okay. Then you went to the Salvatores to fix up Stefan's car?"

"Yep."

"And saw Matt's mom make out with Damon?"

"Yep."

"Man!" I laughed, readjusting my position to sit up straight since I'd almost slipped off the couch entirely due to the amusement. As well as felt the blood shift dangerously within me. "I almost wish I could've seen that!"

"Trust me, you didn't miss anything." Elena sighed, probably shrugging at the memory. " _Not_ a pretty sight."

"Figures," I chuckled, reaching for the remote to turn off the crappy movie. It had gotten all the facts wrong; cars couldn't drive over such a wide gap! _Trust me._ "So now what? A whole day without any vampire drama? Was it possible?"

"I think we succeeded." Elena – by the sound of it – beamed.

"Okay… But it might come back to bite you," I warned, getting up from my couch to put the empty bowl with chips crumbs and residue from melted chocolate on the kitchen counter.

"Trouble for another time," Elena waved off.

"I'm serious. Enjoy your happy, trouble-free moment as much as you can while it lasts. It rarely sticks around for very long. It's like there is someone writing trouble into our lives for the sake of entertaining the masses. Hmm…"  
"What on earth are you talking about, Parks?" a bemused Elena inquired.

"Huh? Oh, never mind." I shrugged off the conspiratory feeling. "Just keep it in mind."

"Yeah, okay… I'll talk to you tomorrow. You think you'll feel better then?"

On my way to the bathroom, I stopped, placing a hand on my stomach. "Probably not," I stated.

"I _think_ I might have some chocolate left over," Elena mumbled.

"Oh, you are _so_ welcome here!" I empathized, getting a chuckle.

* * *

I'd barely woken up, dreams of clashing blades clinging, when I heard a hard knock at the door. Slowly, I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. A glance at the clock on the wall above the kitchenette informed me it was rather my sleeping schedule than my visitor that was off.

"In a minute!" I called, standing up without thinking. The blood within me shifted, and I laid a hand to my growling stomach. Cursing, I glanced at the couch where I'd rested, but thankfully saw no stains of blood.

Making my way to the cabinet filled with all kinds of first aid things, I popped out a pill and swallowed it with a quick mouthful of water to ease the pain of the cramps.

Another hard knock at the door demanded my attention, so with a huff I moved to the door.

"Okay. What is so– Hey!" My sister hurried past me without as much as a nod of greeting, pushing a bar of chocolate into my arms. I was left to stare at the empty hall that had been behind her. "Okay… What's up?" I closed the door, passing her pacing across the floor to head for some clothes, dropping the chocolate off on the kitchen counter for later.

"Oh. You know…" Nervously, she scratched the back of her neck. Her gaze couldn't seem to be still, flashing all over the place to be everywhere at once. Whatever had her clearly freaking out, I was too tired to get involved in this so soon after waking up.

Since I found that I'd – for once – _hadn't_ left dirty clothes laying around my living room area, I went to retrieve something other to wear than my current old, oversized t-shirt from my walk-in-closet.

Noticing me move and breaking out of her thoughts, Elena was quick to follow me. At first, I didn't mind her sticking to my back like glue – a little annoyed by it, yes, but I could live with it for a moment or two – but as I threw a glance ahead of me at the closet, I stopped dead. She crashed into my back, and I spun to face her.

"Elena." I smiled tightly. "A little space, will ya?"

"Right." She took a step back, her gaze directed into the wooden floorboards. "Sorry."

Sighing, I moved again, and this time she kept her distance. She even stopped in the doorway, eyeing the room with big eyes. Casually, I moved to block her view of one particular open closet.

"Nice renovation," she commented with a nod at the baby blue walls, the open cabinets and the furry, light-blue rug beneath a big, matching sitting pouf in the middle of the rectangular room.

It could have been very luxurious, with its great potential for organization thanks to all kinds of nifty hanging constructions and many compartments, _hadn't_ it been for my inability to keep things tidy. Instead, the room was a mess with clothes thrown all over the place, barely any pieces making it into the new blue closets following the theme of the room.

Honestly, it looked a bit as if a hurricane had roared through the closet. _Hurricane Parker_. It sounded rather dramatic, yet fitting.

"Thanks…" I trailed off. But my attention laid focused on what I was trying to block my sister's view of; a conspicuous, dark wooden chest near the door to the bathroom, usually covered by my long dresses – _actually_ kept hanging on hangers – but now _very_ much visible. And open. "Did you want something?" I asked, trying to keep Elena distracted from the wooden coffer.

"Yeah, well, I…" she began, but seemed unable to find the right words to follow up with. If my sister – the ever poetic and amazing writer – was having problem expressing herself, then something was _seriously_ wrong. "Could I have some water?" she finally settled on.

"Sure…" I replied, cautiously.

Being as fast as possible, I headed to my tiny kitchen to fix her request, listening intently for her movements beyond the wall as I filled up a glass with water from the tap. Abruptly, her pacing steps seemed to halt. When I returned with her drink, I realized why, and cursed silently.

"What is _this_?" Elena exclaimed as she noticed me. Accusingly, she pointed at the contents of nothing other than the wooden chest. In a matter of seconds, I moved across the room, almost spilling the water on the light blue floor – _yes,_ I painted it too.

"What did you think?" I slammed the lid to the box shut with a bang. "That I was just gonna sit around and sip my vervain coffee, _hoping_ that I wouldn't be attacked by a vampire?"

Elena made a fleeting attempt to remove my firm hand from atop the lid.

"What… How– Where did you even get all that?" Her eyes were big and round as they met mine. Reluctantly, weighing my options carefully, I opened the box again and allowed my sister to peer inside.

Wooden stakes, wooden bullets, gadgets and guns loaded with vervain filled darts. Basically, anything you would needed to take a vampire down; and I was showing it all to the girlfriend of one. But she _was_ my sister. She needed to know where she could find these things, would she ever be in need of them, for whatever reason.

"Don't think about it too much." I slammed the box shut once more, causing Elena to quickly retrieve her fingers to not have them squashed by the heavy lid. Receiving a hurt look from her, I only ignored by shoving the water into her hand.

When I walked out of the walk-in-closet, Elena stayed behind for a moment, simply staring at the box.

"Parks…" she began, but her voice faded quickly. She scratched the back of her head, her lips pressed into a line. _Now_ what? "Do you think… Would it be…. Could I, ehrm, _borrow_ some of these stuff a little?"

"For what?" I asked and crossed my arms, leaning against the doorframe. Had Elena grown tired of her vamp-boyfriend _already_?

"Nothing special," she spoke hastily. _Lying_. Her gaze did everything to avoid mine, her posture stiff and her hands fumbling on the hem of her navy blue sweater; Elena could practically have been the poster girl for signs to tell when someone was lying. But if she wasn't going to let me know what was going on, then I wasn't going to push the matter any further. I had a feeling I would find out about it soon enough, one way or another.

"Okay." I shrugged. Instead of meeting her chin dropping in surprise, I moved around my bed to close one of the large windows, which had been slamming due to of the strong winds outside for a good few minutes now. The rain had soaked the wooden floorboards right under the sill, I noted with a curse _._ Yet _another_ thing I had to fix in this bloody apartment! Like the bathroom wasn't enough already.

The storm was roaring outside, making the badly isolated windows whistle a high, off-pitched and very creepy tune.

"Okay?" Elena double-checked, sounding surprised. That I had agreed so easily and not asked any more questions about her agenda? Probably.

"Yep." I struggled with the window, fighting the wind that refused to let me close the damn thing. "Just bring them back in a relatively clean state–" I won and the window finally slammed shut. "–and I'll be happy." I brushed off some dust and splinters from my large t-shirt and bare legs, compliments from the old, cranky window.

"Okay…." My sister's gaze flew between me and the box filled with weapons, as if deciding if I was really being serious. "Okay!" she repeated with more force, a new frown forming amongst her features. "Do you have a bag or something I could borrow too?"

That, I had. And half an hour later, I waved off my sister in the door, telling her that whatever she was up to, to try not to get herself killed. Her response echoed from the stairwell, assuring me she'd be fine. I wasn't convinced, but I was too busy for the day to be able to shadow her and find out what was going on.

With my day off yesterday, Roberta had given me a shorter shift today, waitressing. All I had to do was drag my ass down to the Grill, seem somewhat present and smile, and I'd be good to go home in just a few hours.

* * *

"Wipe off the tables." A wet cloth was shoved into my hand. As I'd suspected, Bella wasn't as understanding with my absence yesterday as Roberta had been.

"Look, I agreed to waitressing, despite being a bartender, but–"

"This is part of the job," Bella cut me off. Tightening my fist, I imagined stroking her jaw. Hard. "It shouldn't be too difficult for you. Just clean. The. Tables." Her platinum blonde bob flicked me in the face when she stormed off, having been standing _that_ close, her whole being boiling with anger. If I'd had the energy, I would have started coming up with a plan to get me back in her good graces as soon as possible, _but_ …

My stomach was cramping, my energy drained and my muscles felt sore and swollen from all the hormones rushing around. So instead, I decided that it was a problem for later.

Due to the ongoing storm, the Grill was fairly empty. Not that I minded, since it meant less work for me. Muffling my muttering, I got to work with my new assignment.

When I started wiping off a booth table Matt had just cleared of dishes, he gave me a weird look.

"Don't ask." I shook my head, and he let it be. Good boy.

Soon enough, I'd kept up the act for an hour, all whilst throwing longing glances back towards the bar, only to be met by a red-faced Bella squinting her eyes at me with the same unyielding fury. However, each time I turned around, her gaze and features seemed to have softened a _teensy_ bit. It wouldn't be long now… I knew how to look both miserable and guilty at the same time. Just as anticipated, soon heavy footsteps approached me from behind.

"Fine!" Bella sighed and threw a black apron at me. "You can stop that." She pointed at the cloth, which I dropped immediately. My fingers had turned mushy after all the scrubbing. "You can move on to take the orders instead."

"Great." I accepted the apron and tied it around my waist, scouting the venue for any newly arrived customers.

Over by the slightly higher level, where the bar was also located, I spotted my brother was sitting by a long table stretching along the railing that separated the two levels of the room from each other. How hadn't I noticed him before? Jeremy's gaze was fixated on something by the entrance, and with a twirl of my head, I saw who was consuming his attention. _Typical._

Anna. As in the vampire who had thrown me into a stonewall before rescuing her mother from the tomb. At the moment, she was chatting with a tall woman whose raven black hair and features were frighteningly similar. So _that_ was what the mother must look like when she hadn't been starved for over a century. _Big_ improvement. But what were they both still doing here? Shouldn't they have bailed town by now? _I would have._

Any further musings were interrupted by Mayor Lockwood and his son Tyler entering the Grill behind the mother and daughter, instantly beginning to exchange some words. Swearing, I realized waitressing meant that I had to take _their_ orders too and tend to the spoiled brats culinary needs. _Dammit._

Grinding my teeth against each other, I approached the pairs, forcing a tight smile when I neared them.

"We'll make do," I heard Anna's mother answer the Mayor with a polite smile, similiar to mine in its strained nature.

"Mayor Lockwood, your table is right this way." I made a gesture in towards the heart of the Grill. If he'd noticed how my tone dripped with bitterness, he chose not to comment on it.

"Great."

" _Mayor_ … Lockwood, is it?" The black haired woman suddenly sounded noticeably more interested as the man in question twirled back around to face her. "I suppose it is treacherous outside. My name is Pearl."

"Hi." Lockwood and the vampire Pearl shook hands.

"This is my daughter Anna," she continued with a gesture towards the girl who had been staring at me for a good few seconds now. Discreetly, I made a gesture and raised my hand to stroke away the hair from the back of my head, flinching when my fingers moved the bump she'd given me. After that, Anna withdrew her accusing gaze from me. "We've just recently moved to town," Pearl informed the Mayor, now with a considerably much more warm smile.

"Welcome. Richard Lockwood. This is my son Tyler." An awkward nod from the teenager. "Please, join us." Was he _flirting_? No wonder Carol Lockwood enjoyed Damon's attention so much! Her husband clearly wasn't the most faithful one. Not that I was surprised.

"It would be a pleasure." Pearl followed me to a table in the middle of the room, Lockwood and his son not far behind us.

Unlike me, I was sure Pearl listened to the trailing pairs every every word using her heightened hearing. I, on the other hand, only had my imagination at my disposal. But one look at Tyler's tired face as I handed his father a menu said it all: he was enjoying his dad's flirting about as much as I was.

"I'm gonna go shoot some pool," he declared and left. Lucky guy, he could _leave_.

Keeping the strained smile on my face, I exchanged some polite words, which mostly consisted of anecdotes about my parents, of course topped off by a ' _sorry for your loss'_ from Lockwood's part. That never failed to amuse. _Not_. However, I noticed how Pearl seemed to tense up a bit at the mentioning of ' _Gilbert'_ , and I couldn't help but wonder why. Either way, it was with relief I left them when they'd finally made up their minds about food and drinks.

The bar was, aside from this duo, otherwise nearly empty, probably due to the roads being flooded as usual; another proof of this town's useless infrastructure. With people most likely having decided to stay home instead of coming here, it meant less work for me. So _yay_!

One of the chefs, Chase – a good friend of mine from way back when in high school – happened to be working this very evening. Lingering in the kitchen, I chatted with him for as long as possible, not wanting to face the new duties of being nice forced upon me. But, of course, Bella found me sitting on the counter as the dirty blonde, young man chopped tomatoes, smiling at something I'd just said.

" _Aherm_!" Bella threw a pointed glare at me, her accusing finger gesturing back towards the double doors.

"Duty calls," I muttered, jumping down from the silver counter. With a light clap on Chase's shoulder as I walked around him, I whispered, "Back to the slaughter."

"Always so dramatic, Parks." He laughed with a roll of his green eyes. Sticking my tongue out at him as answer, I picked up the food for Pearl and Lockwood on the go and opened the double doors leading out into the bar by pushing my back against them.

A polite smile there, another mannerly conversation here, my mom would have been proud! I tended to a few other guests before I saw something that made my courteous smile waver, to be completely erased when I did a double-take.

Jeremy and Anna – my baby bro and the bitchy vampire – openly _eye-fucking_.

They weren't too far apart from each other either, Anna playing darts by herself as Jer sat by a table a few feet away. Reaching his side, all it took to snap him out of it was a crushing hand being laid atop his lower arm. _And_ it caught Anna's attention in the process. I slipped my other hand into my pocket, in case…

"What do you think you're doing?" My jaws were so clenched that the fact that my words were even comprehensible was an amazement in itself.

"None of your business." Jeremy's tone was as threatening as mine when he tried to rip his arm away, but only caused himself to flinch in pain when my hand pressed down harder. Somewhere behind me, I could practically _feel_ Anna debate whether or not to move closer, meaning her mother probably didn't know about her thing with Jeremy. Interesting.

"Let's try that one more time, Jer. What _the hell_ are you doing?" I felt a light tap on my shoulder, and I knew it was Anna even before I'd turned my head.

"He didn't do anything," she defended. But before she could add something else, I had twirled around completely and placed the tip of a dart filled vervain from my pocket to threateningly press into her stomach. Thankfully, Jeremy's corner of the bar was too dark for any of the few surrounding to notice the scene.

"Parks!" Jer exclaimed from behind me, rubbing his aching arm as he stood.

"Sit," I ordered. Surprisingly, he obeyed. Probably due to my cold voice. Anna only stared at me, just as Pearl did from her table far over on the over side of the Grill, but I still had a clear view of her when I forced Anna to turn a bit by gripping her shoulder firmly.

"There's no need to cause a scene," I began in an ice-cold and collected tone. "But unless you two _vampires_ get the hell out of here right now, I'll jab a vervain dart into the little sweet daughter, drag her outside and _stake_ her. Good luck pretending to be human _then_ ," I spat out the last part, causing Pearl to flinch. Lockwood, who was sitting across from her and yapping away – not noticing a thing – seemed to be the last thing on Pearl's mind right now.

"Parker, stop–"

"Not now, Jer!" I barked over my shoulder. "Well, what will it be, Pearl?" The vampire seemed to think that I was bluffing, but as I twisted around Anna's shoulder slightly, earning a whimper, Pearl changed her mind and nodded. It was a deadlock anyway; if I dragged an unconscious and vervained Anna out of here, it would cause a scene. But if Pearl flashed over and snapped my neck, which I could see that she _really_ wanted to do, _she_ would reveal her true form.

Carefully, I observed Pearl as she excused herself to Lockwood, getting up to leave. He made a few persistent attempts to make her stay, but eventually decided the effort was too much. I didn't release Anna until her mother was over by the front door, holding her light-gray coat in her hand.

"Pleasure doing business with you," I told Pearl as I backed away from her daughter, removing the vervain dart. Liz and the town's council would have been proud. "We're even," I added for Anna, whose gaze traveled between me and my brother, before she reluctantly turned to leave. As she headed for the door, I could see her pulling up her phone from the back pocket of her black jeans, typing something. A suspicious tone sounded from Jer's phone a second later as he received a text. Just barely, I managed to catch a glimpse of his satisfied smile, before it faded away due to him noticing my sharp gaze.

"What the hell, Parks!" he wheezed in a hushed tone and shot to his feet. "What was all that about?"

"I'm guessing you already know," I told my brother frankly, taking a step closer to force him to sit back down in his chair; I didn't like it when the towered over me.

"Are you _trying_ to ruin my life?" he exclaimed. Dramatic much? _Although_ he _was_ Elena's brother – aka the queen of all drama – so there was a fairly reasonable explanation for it. Nevertheless, Jeremy needed to be taken down to earth a bit.

"Look, Jer. I'm not gonna have this conversation with you. I'm not your legal guardian and I don't care what you know or don't know, or _how_ you know it, for that matter." Jeremy only frowned, but I refused to spell out the vampire-thing for him, _in case_ my growing suspicion after his long glances with Anna was wrong; _that_ would be an awkward conversation. However, I wanted to have this said. "But promise me _one_ thing, Jer. You can continue to fool around or date Anna if you want, but don't make any drastic or stupid decisions. Okay?" I held out my pinky for him.

He still seemed a little confused, but reached out and grabbed my little finger with his, entwining them with a nod. "Deal."

If I were a good older sister, I would have found out just how much he knew about vampires, what his relationship with Anna was about, and overall how he was doing. But, honestly, I didn't have the energy for it. My mind was too occupied with the fact that Bella seemed to be bent on keeping me waitressing, Elena's suspicious behavior earlier, and, sadly, the whole Damon drama.

So, I left Jeremy with that vague urging slash warning pulling at me, which was still easy enough to ignore.


	20. Bonding With The Enemy

"Absolutely not."

Damon lowered his hand, a frown spreading on his fine features. "Come on! I only want _one_ little drink!"

"Read my lips." I leaned over the bar. " _No_." Damon sighed and rolled his eyes. But it wasn't like I could have served him even if I'd wanted to, still on my waitressing shift. And if Bella got it her way, I might never get to work behind the bar again…

Currently, my excuse for being behind the counter was to get a customer a beer. But since going back out into the Grill meant passing Damon again, I lingered to chat with another bartender wiping glasses dry. Eventually, though, since Bella was watching me like a hawk, I _had_ to go.

As I walked past Damon, I noted that he had finally received his long awaited drink. On top of that, before turning my back to him completely I also _just_ managed to catch a glimpse of Alaric punching right Damon in the face, hard enough for the latter's head to slam into the bar counter. Abruptly, I stopped in the middle of my step and stared shamelessly. _What the?_ Damon grunted a little, checked if is jaw was okay, before meeting my gaze, which was stuck right between laughter and bafflement.

"Happens." He swigged down his drink.

"Dick."

"Probably," Damon admitted.

Only shaking my head, I continued out into the restaurant are to hand over the beer to the guy'd who ordered it. He was probably pretty impatient by now, given, I _had_ been gone for a good 10 minutes or so, and the Grill wasn't full enough for it to be excusable. Placing the beer bottle in front of the pale man, I flashed a polite smile.

"There you go."

"Took you long enough," he muttered, grabbing it from the table and chugging it down whilst casting me a glare. Sure, I might have had that coming. Just as I turned to leave, his scratchy voice called me back. "Haven't they taught you about service, sweetheart?" Instantly, I froze. As I slowly turned around, every muscle in my body was suddenly tense.

Oh, he had _not_ just said that!

Forcefully, I told myself to remain calm. That it was unnecessary to cause a scene. No matter how much I might have wanted to tear his eyes from their sockets and cut off his–

Calm. Very calm.

"Or couldn't they get it through your pretty, little head?" _That was_ it _._

It _might_ be too much to threaten two people in one night, but this guy undoubtedly deserved it! Before I could make a move to punch in the crooked teeth in the middle of his ugly ass, creased face, an arm dressed in black leather grabbed the man by his denim shirt and pulled him to his feet.

"That's taking it a little far, don't you think?" Damon fumed, his jaw tightly clenched.

"Put him down!" I seethed, doing a quick survey of the room around us. Thankfully, no one seemed to have noticed the unusual spectacle. Odd, in a town that lived on gossip, but I wasn't complaining. "I can fight my own battles," I added, attempting to shove Damon back by his shoulder. He didn't move an inch. _Damn_ that vampire strength!

The man only stared at Damon with wide eyes. He looked pathetic now, blown away was the sourness from before. Now that I thought about it, he kind of looked like a rotten lemon, meaning that the sourness fit _perfectly_. Damon didn't give my efforts of making him drop the man any attention. And even if I would have _no_ problem whatsoever with ending the cranky, old man right then and there, certain things had to be done cleverly; going around murdering people in the middle of a restaurant was _not_. But if you were to wait for Rotten Lemon Face to leave the building, a dark alley never fails… But of course Damon couldn't get the picture through his _thick_ head and understand that _I had it covered!_

"Put the man down," I spoke by Damon's ear, pressing the very tip of a vervain dart – conveniently left after my encounter with Anna – into his back, the leather jacket _just_ preventing it from penetrating his skin. _Finally,_ he released the man and glanced over his shoulder, down at my hand holding the dart. Concentrated vervain _definitely_ came in handy when you lived in a town crawling with vampires.

"I know that," Damon mused as he observed the thin, black, almost needle-like dart, no longer than two inches. His gaze raised to my face. "They were _yours_?" What the hell was he talking about?

"Excuse me?" I frowned.

"The weapons Elena… _Oh!_ " He blew out a breath and looked back at the man. "Keep drinking your beer, forget that this conversation ever happened." Was he compelling the guy?

"Aherm!"

Damon's head twirled back to me. "What?"

"How about a ' _stop being a douche'_ or something of the like?" I suggested as a modification.

"What she said," Damon added to the man, patting his shoulder to shove him down into his seat.

The man's eyes were blank and empty when he fumbled after the beer bottle. What if the douchiness was all he'd had? Maybe Damon had taken away the _only_ thing Rotten Lemon Face had to live for? If so: good job there, vampire gigolo! Speaking of which, he had now grabbed my arm to lead me away. I ripped it out of his grip.

"Hands off," I warned. Perhaps the overprotectiveness ran in the family? I mean, first Stefan and now _this_. Uh.

"Fine." Instead of Damon steering me away, he followed _me_ as _I_ set the path. Somehow we reached the exact same corridor I had yelled at him in during the fundraiser. Coincidence? I think not.

"Okay. Tell me why you recognized this little beauty?" I held up the small vervain dart before Damon. He sighed and began explaining, a little reluctantly.

"Your sister brought a bag full of weapons, amongst them those–" He pointed at the wire thin dart. "– _nifty_ little things."

"Why did she bring them?" I pushed, repositioning the dart in my hand so that it could easily be shoved into Damon's neck if needed be. He noticed. If Elena wasn't going to tell me why she suddenly needed my weapons so desperately, then he might as well do the honors.

"Well, we had to have _some_ backup when saving Stefan's ass from the tomb vampires." Damon smirked, as if he was teaching a slow child how to multiply. _They used them for the what to save the who from the what now?_ Damon's face fell when he saw my grim features. "She didn't tell you."

"That little bitch!" How could she! The urge to punch something flooded in over me like a tsunami. But the closest thing was either the concrete wall, a painting with a glass frame or Damon's perfect face. Neither of the options were desirable. "The tomb vampire are _out?_ How? And why haven't someone told me?!" I demanded to know. Damon had the unfortunate luck to be the only one around to take my sudden raging outburst. But, truth be told, he handled it pretty well. In his own _unique_ way.

"If it makes you feel any better, your weapons were _much_ better than Ric's," Damon said with a smirk, closing some of the space between us.

"Oh, yeah, that _really_ warms my heart," I seethed and put a hand over my chest as I allowed the sarcasm to drip off of my words. " _Wait!_ Ric knew _too_? And _helped_? Goddamit Elena!" How could she ask the professor _but not me_! Pacing around, I tried to smother the murderous urges swirling through my body, all connected to my sister.

"I'm sensing your communication hasn't been the best lately," Damon spoke up, leaning against the beige wall a few feet away.

"You could say that." I pinched the bridge of my nose and stopped my gait.

Deep breaths to make my blood stop boiling. Happy thoughts! Like sunny meadows and cute kittens, gorgeous sky-high mountains _where I could push my sister off a cliff without anyone noticing!_ Wow, that escalated quickly. Okay, back to deep breaths. One, two, three… Everybody strangle thee! _Oh my_ … I needed something else to keep my mind off of the horrendous scenarios for my _dear,_ _sweet_ sister.

"You helped too." I pointed at Damon, whose smirk was erased in a split-second.

" _Of course_ I did. Stefan's my brother!"

"Then you can spill the details for me." I moved closer, my finger still raised. Damon stared at it as I poked it into his firm chest. "Tell me _everything_ that happened, since Elena won't." Damon looked skeptical. "Or I could use _this_ to get it out of you." I raised the small dart to dangle in front of his blue stare.

"Oh, you wouldn't." Damon smirked.

"Wanna bet?" I shot back, raising a brow. His gaze continued traveling between me and the dart, before he gave in with a sigh.

"Okay, fine!" he huffed. "But I'll need another drink for it."

"Well, about that… See, I bailed on my job because of my period, and Bella got pissed when the boss sided with me. So now I'm stuck on waitressing duty, _indefinitely_ ," I sighed. "But I'm _sure_ you can compel me a free hour or so, as well as a drink." Flashing him a tight smile, I caught him staring at me oddly. As I frowned, he sniffed into the air.

"Oh, so _that's_ what that delicious smell is!" Damon smirked, inching closer. "I thought you were just trying out a new perfume."

" _Back off_ , vampire," I warned, raising a hand. He walked into my palm, still smiling infuriatingly. His gaze flickered downwards, and I raised my dart again without hesitating. That seemed to do the trick.

"Okay. Relax." Stepping back, Damon raised his hands. "I was only joking."

" _Sure_ you were," I scoffed. His smirk remained.

"Did you want to know what happened or not?" Now it was my turn to not answer, only lowering my hand holding the dart. Damon's smirk widened, turning even more smug than I believed to be possible. "Then lead the way." He nodded ahead, and with a scowl I did just that.

* * *

"Well that sounded like fun." I placed my fifth emptied glass before me.

Damon frowned. "I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic or not."

"I wasn't. I actually would've _liked_ to be there. It's fun to kick some vampire ass." I twirled the glass around my index finger. "No offense," I added when Damon's squinting gaze kept eyeing me.

"None taken." Damon shrugged, before finishing his own drink. He had gone for bourbon whilst I had sticked with my all-time favorite: vodka. Affirming a Russian stereotype, which I'd noticed most Americans believed Sweden to basically be a part of, quite nicely in the process.

After having been completely filled in on everything that had happened concerning the rescuing of Stefan – or, at least from _Damon's_ point of view, but considering that Elena hadn't seemed to be planning on telling me about any of it time soon, that was the only version I could get my hands on – my head was spinning around all the new information.

"You'll probably get more chances."

"Hmm?" I was too occupied with carefully watching Bella, who walked right past us without even noticing me, to catch what Damon had just said. That compulsion thing was _really_ useful.

"There will be other opportunities for you to fight some vampires," Damon reassured. "With them acting all _crazy_ …" I smiled at his muttering. Dealing with messing vampires wasn't as fun as doing the deeds oneself. A lesson he'd clearly learnt.

Before I could drop that in the form of a snarky comment, obviously, my phone began to vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out to be faced by my sister's name. _Ugh!_ After all this, I had _no_ energy left for her.

"Ah, that takes me back." Damon smirked, nodding at my brick phone. I wasn't sure whether he was referring to the last time I had wrinkled my nose and stared at my phone, not wanting to answer it, or just the phone in general. After all, Damon had been around for a while, so he had probably owned a mobile just like this one _some_ time. Settling on both, I accepted the call.

"What? Are you calling to tell me the truth about Stefan?" No sugarcoating it here, blunt as always.

Whatever Elena had planned on saying got stuck in her throat. "How do you– Never mind," she interrupted herself. "This is important, Parks."

"Is something _more_ important than telling me, your older sister, the _truth?_ " I gasped in shock, catching Damon smiling, but Elena wasn't having any of it.

"This is serious." She took a deep, shaky breath, her voice trembling a little as she carried on. "Caroline found Vicki's body." A cold hand squeezed my heart. I looked up to meet Damon's gaze, finding it mirroring mine: no protecting walls up, not with that shocking revelation. _That vamp-hearing, every damn time_.

Our eyes remained locked as Elena told me exactly what had happened: how Caroline's car had gotten stuck on a muddy road where there was no service. She had, of course, tried to find some reception by walking into the woods, and just so _happened_ to stumble over the corpse in question. Elena said something else about how everyone was doing; Kennedy and his mom crushed, Jeremy sobbing, Caroline guilty for finding the body, the list going on and on.

However, the only thing I could think about right now, in this very moment, was that I was sitting across from the _only_ other person who was unwanted in all of this. I might have killed Vicki Donovan, but Damon had disposed of her body. Of course, if _I_ had taken care of it instead of Damon, then no one would _ever_ have found it. But that wasn't the point here. What was relevant was the common ground I shared with the male vampire sitting across from me.

"I'm at Matt's right now, but I just wanted you to know," Elena explained. She sounded distant, but I wasn't sure if that was because of _my_ mind wandering elsewhere or _hers_. "Parker… It's okay. I know why you did it. I… It's just…"

"Complicated," I finished for her. "Yeah, I know. Tell Matt I said hi and, I don't know, send my condolences or something."

"I will."

Lowering the phone from my ear, my mind swam away.

Obviously, I had encountered death _several_ time before. I'd been at the (attempted) receiving end of it, as well as the dispatching end; the latter plentiful _more_ times, actually. But I'd never had any trouble to shrug it off and move on; not even when my parents died, neither my adoptive or biological ones. Life was for the living, the dead had no place here. The only reason this particular death was bothering me at all, was that it came back to haunt the living.

As an assassin, you never came to face with the family or friends of your target. You never get to experience their loss up close.

But this time, I saw it. I knew the people who was falling apart. Elena would be burdened by this, since she knew the truth. Jeremy would be crushed, he had – weirdly enough – loved Vicki, in his teenage way. The happy glim in Kennedy's eyes, that had recently returned due to a certain blonde cheerleader, would be gone, replaced by that same emptiness which had seemed lurk after Elena dumped him. The effects would be big, and I would be forced to experience them. Truth be told, I was _not_ up for it.

The feeling of Damon's gaze on me pulled me back to the land of the living, and I swallowed a newly formed lump in my throat to ensure that my voice was a little less hoarse when I finally spoke.

"I think I'm gonna need another drink."


	21. Blast From The Past

As always, waking up with a throbbing headache, ash dry mouth and an aching body was so fun. Heh. With a groan, I rolled off of my couch to land on the soft, thick rug.

But regardless of a slight sickness, it was time for my daily morning routine I'd worked out; and cherished even more now as the town and its people seemed close to the breaking point, with vampires running around and the body of a teenage girl being found. Vicki, that would be. Out of respect, I'd stayed away from her funeral. How long I could keep up avoiding everything else, was another question entirely. So, I worked out.

A run, followed by a series of exercises to promote the muscles. It was all a habit I'd built up and maintained ever since I became strong enough to hold the power to decide whether to end another being's life, and with ease having been able to take it away from them.

Like all previous times, the earlier crappy feeling faded quickly; a sign which I was sure my sister would take as bad, whereas I rather chose to look at how well-adjusted my body was to alcohol and hangovers with a more positive attitude.

Taking the same path as always, when heading I left the gray woods with a thick, brown carpet of leaves behind me to round a corner onto a road lined with one-storey houses, steering my path back towards the heart of the little civilization. Sure, running in the forest when the town was crawling with vampires _might_ be pushing it a bit, but I hadn't left the house without stocking up on some of my precious vervain darts first.

It was a bleak day. And even around the Town Square the streets were empty. The sky was gray and the drizzle hung in the air as I sprinted the last bit. My heart pounding and leg buzzing from exhaustion, I slowed my pace until finally stopping to use a nearby red-bricked stone wall for support as my breathing began returning to its normal pace. Whilst stretching out my thighs, I forced my burning lungs to take in the cool air, fighting the numbness in my legs with the stretch.

Once my breathing was completely back to normal, I placed my foot against the wall to stretch out the back of my calves, one at a time.

"Well, well," a drawling voice spoke. "Look who it is!" Instantly, my whole body froze, my gaze fastened on the wall. No. No, no, no! _No!_ I recognized _that_ voice all too well. Someone must really be out to get me. "How's the run going?" Slowly, I stepped out of my stretch and turned towards the bothersome voice, preparing my absolute most cold glare possible.

"Tim," I stated shortly.

"Parker," he greeted with a sneer.

It was as if nothing had changed. The male before me looked _exactly_ the same. Besides from a stubble – something he had never managed to grow way back when during our high school time together – otherwise, the tall athletic body – even though I had _never_ even seen the man work out – and the light brown hair, although no longer in its usual buzz cut but rather grown out into a spiky style, were all the same. Viewing his outfit I came to the conclusion that he was wearing the _very_ same dark-green cargo jacket from seven years ago as well, a navy blue shirt underneath that matched his moss green eyes perfectly. All that was missing was the gray beanie and a beer bottle in his hands, and it would be like I had stepped into a frickin time machine!

"Long time no see," Tim said as he casually moved closer.

"For a reason, _dick_ ," I spat into his stupid, and sadly pleasant, face.

His smile faded and turned into a grimace. "Still mad about that?"

"You mean the whole cheating thing?" I scoffed. "Mm, _yeah_ , I'm still pretty pissed." I spun around in an attempt at making a dramatic exit, but my body fought me after the workout and the booze, thereby forcing me to settle for a power walking departure instead. Which Tim, of course, managed to catch up with quite easily.

"Okey, I get it. Sore subject," he gave me. "But you were no better!" I stopped abruptly, my head snapping to the side to stare him down as my fists clenched at my hips.

" _Excuse_ me?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Tim scoffed. "That rich jock followed you around like a lost little puppy!"

"Leave _him_ out of this!" I seethed with my finger pointed into his face.

" _Fine_ ," Tim bit off, his green eyes nearly cross-eyed as he stared at my warning finger. He pushed it aside before continuing. "We were equally cheating–" My turn to let out a scoff. "– _BUT_ that's not the point." He took a step dangerously close, but I didn't move back an inch; knowing Tim, that would only get him going even more. The easiest and fastest way to get rid of him was to just listen to whatever douchey thing he had to say. Something I wouldn't do without a little bitchy comment here or there, however.

"Then what do you want, _Timothy_ Andrews?" I smirked at his clenched jaws. He'd always hated his full name.

"Well, _Parka_ …" Sadly, he also knew how much _I_ hated my old nickname. "I wanna catch up. Is that a crime?" Tim moved his hand to tuck a strand of my sweaty hair that had escaped my low ponytail behind my ear. I didn't as much as flinch, only grabbed his wrist to twist his arm around with a sour feeling in my throat. "OW! Okay, I get it!" I released Tim with a shove to watch as he rubbed his arm with a glare thrown at me. _He had it coming._ "Okay, new leaf." He straightened his posture and shook his arm back in place a bit. "Come on! _One_ little drink to make up for the fact that you didn't even tell me you were back in town."

"For a good reason, apparently!" A thought hit me. "How did you know?" Tim's smug grin grew a bit wider as his eyes wandered over my body. Ugh, I had forgotten how much I hated when he did that. "Someone told you," I stated. I squinted my eyes, thinking quickly. "It was Chase, wasn't it?" His silence and grin turning even more smug was enough of an answer. "Oh, he is _dead_!" I seethed.

"Hey! Don't kill the messenger. It wasn't his fault. You know how Chase gets after a couple of beers," Tim chuckled.

"You're not still doing _that_ , are you?" I questioned with a sigh, already sensing his answer.

"Deal booze, you mean?" Tim looked too full of himself. "Yep." _Of course._ I brought my fist to my forehead to block out the image of his permanently tattooed and incomprehensibly annoying grin. "Although business is much slower these days," Tim confided. "Kids today are much more goody-doers, not like back in our day." His voice moved closer. Uh, he _never_ gave up! "Especially the rest of the Gilbert-clan." I opened my eyes and lowered my fist to face him as he stopped a feet before me.

Of course, Tim's eyes were _still_ wandering all over my sweaty appearance. Not a very interesting outfit, but I suppose he was looking at the curves the tight training clothes were showing off; all black, except for my neon purple running shoes and a light orange hair tie keeping my messy hair out of my face. Most of the time, at least.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded to know, crossing my arms over my chest, almost as flat as my sister's due to the tight sports bra.

"It means that your little sister hasn't come looking for a good time," Tim sighed. "Jeez, don't worry!"

"What about Jer?" I squinted my eyes at him.

"He's more of a stoner. I don't deal _that_!" Tim almost looked _offended_ by the mere thought that I'd even _assume_ that he would sink to that sort of dealing, putting a hand over his heart and shaking his head. But at least that much was true.

During all the years I'd known Tim, he only ever dealt alcohol, never even _nearing_ the drug-field. Occasionally he had his weird morals. _But_ still thought it okay to cheat and sleep around constantly. He hadn't had any trouble finding people either, given he was a popular guy, which wasn't so surprisingly considering how attractive free alcohol can be. Ttruth be told, that might also have been _my_ main reason for going out with him in the first place. Still, I was over all that drama since long. However, Tim seemed to be more stuck in the past as he was still standing too close, eyeing me with an interested gleam in his clear, green eyes.

"Stop with the staring. It's _not_ gonna happen," I huffed and turned to keep walking. Tim followed. It took some effort to move my stiff, tired legs, but my motivation to get away from my ex was enough to act as a fuel.

"I'm only asking for _one_ tiny drink," he pushed innocently. I didn't respond. "It's on me then!" he gave in with a sigh, and I stopped. The bastard knew me too well. " _Absolutely_ free! For old times sake," he added with a wink. Since Tim clearly wasn't going to give up until I agreed, the option seemed to be to drink him under the table – I was pretty confident my alcohol perseverance was better than his, even if he dealt it – and leave him like so. Also, _that_ might just get my message of disinterest through his _thick_ skull.

"Fine." I held back a sigh as his face brightened up by a satisfied grin.

"Great! At my place then?"

"Don't tell me you're _still_ living in that hellhole." This time I allowed the sigh to be heard loud and clear, my forehead creased. His old house had been an absolute dump back in _my_ day, I didn't want to imagine what it looked like now.

"Hey! Don't judge! It's big, empty and far away from any prying cops." In other words: _perfect_ for wild parties with drunk teenagers.

"You're living the dream, Timothy," I stated sarcastically.

"Yep," he rejoiced with another confident wink. "See you tonight then!" he called over his shoulder as he walked away. _Finally!_ "Parka!" he then of course had to add with a snigger. I immediately stiffened. That _damn_ nickname!

* * *

By the time it was time for me to change, standing in front of my wardrobe, I'd already changed my mind about tonight. That Liz had called me with a tempting offer to join one of the Council's meetings didn't help either. But, what could have gotten her to change her mind?

"Screw it," I muttered and grabbed the first thing catching my eye; casual light ripped jeans and a black off-shoulder sweater. Messy tangles pulled into a tight bun at the nape of my neck, and I was good to go.

As I dug through my closet to find a jacket and my beloved boots, my phone called for my attention.

"What's up?" I answered my aunt, remaining sitting in the middle of the soft, furry rug as I kept throwing away clothes from the hep before me. Where was all this stuff even coming from? I always packed _lightly_. Meaning that it should be impossible for me to have this many pieces of clothing. What the heck?

"Oh, not much." Jenna's voice was too high-pitched as she responded. Something was wrong.

"I don't believe you." I stopped digging through my mess of clothes. "Spill."

"Fine." Jenna sighed. I could hear as she repositioned her phone, probably running a hand over her face like she always did when feeling uncomfortable. "Can you do dinner at the house tonight?" Huh, a _formal_ invite? That was new. So far, any type of food situation had been more of a ' _show up and you might get food, you might have to cook it yourself or be set up with a hot guy in the process'_ type of thing. Something was fishy.

"Why?" I asked slowly.

"No particular reason." Jenna's voice went higher.

"There's a always catch," I pressed with a frown. "Which is it now?"

"It's nothing!" Jenna kept on insisting. Yeah, right.

"Cut the crap and tell me." Nothing but silence met my ear. "Jenna?" She barely even seemed the breathe. "Jenna!"

"Uh! Okay!" she gave in, sighing loudly. "John's back."

My response was out before she'd even finished. "No. Absolutely not."

"C'mon!" Jenna whined, sounding desperate. "I need back-up!"

"Not happening." I shook my head, firmly. "The drama between you two is just the _tip_ of the iceberg!"

"That's why I want you to be there!" Jenna retorted. Okay, point taken.

"I wish I could–"

"No you don't!" Jenna snorted, interrupting me midway. Jeez!

" _However_ , I've got an ex of my own to deal with tonight." Even if I'd rather would have liked to have my aunt in the dark about this particular encounter, it seemed to be my only excusable way out of the most awful family dinner imaginable.

"Who?" The pleading desperation in her voice switched to curiosity in a matter of seconds. Now it was my turn to stay silent. "Parker, come on!" Jenna pushed. Not a word left my lips. "" _I_ had to! Your turn to spill."

"Tim," I breathed out, followed by a pause.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Well… Good luck with that."

"Thanks!" I spoke dryly, before adding a, "You too."

"Ugh! Don't remind me…" Jenna muttered, bitterly.

The conversation was a fine example on how my relationship with my aunt had always been more of a friendship than a relative one. We talked about things that I'd never even _think_ about discussing with Elena or Jeremy; like how it was Jenna and not me who'd gotten the sole custody of my siblings after our parents died, even though I was – at least on paper – just as fit for the job. Our bond was appreciated, and also why we were able to end the call at that, no more questions asked.

As I finally found my leather jacket in the mess, I wondered whose night would be the toughest; mine or Jenna's? Sure, John was a bitch, but Tim also managed to qualify nicely in that category without falling far behind. Thinking about it, both of the men were known for being cheating and lying scums; I really hope Jenna and I didn't share a type…

* * *

The house was just as I remembered it, meaning that it was falling apart completely. The once grand stone facade was crumbling to show off the rotting planks beneath. The white marble exterior had turned utterly gray, and in some places you could even hint big, black spots, as if someone had tried to set the house on fire. It wouldn't surprise me. This place had a bad rep. Unless you were looking for a wild night filled with booze, of course. Then the enormous mansion was _just_ the place for you!

Climbing the stairs up to the porch, I had to jump over a gap where a plank had rotted away completely and given up, before banging on the black door; it nearly fell out of its hinges. _Jeez!_ I took that as permission to step inside.

"You showed!" Tim exclaimed as he came skipping down the broad staircase from the floor above, avoiding unstable steps with ease. "Honestly, I didn't think you would."

"I was promised free alcohol," I explained with a smirk, reminding him.

"Coming right up!" He twirled to steer his steps into one of the many living rooms; this one utterly purple.

The only thing in the room that _wasn't_ broken was a big, sturdy, wooden cabinet that I knew was the sacred place where some of the alcohol was kept. The rest was either in a secret storage room in the basement, or hidden in some other place where the police wouldn't find it if they ever decided to pay a visit. Although, I highly doubt they would; they had bigger problems on their plate right now considering the vampires crawling around town.

"Here, my lady." I was handed a dusty glass with a transparent liquid. The smell was hard to mistake: vodka.

" _Ha_ ," I replied to Tim's comment and was rewarded with his satisfied grin. "You know me so well."

"If there's one thing I remember, then it's what people like to drink!" Tim looked too full of himself again as he motioned for me to sit down on the red, threadbare, satin couch.

Reluctantly, I followed the gesture and found Tim doing the same as he took a seat in the matching couch opposite from me. There were marks in the thick, dusty, old, green carpet which indicated that there had once stood a table there not too long ago. I decided to hold onto my drink, gripping the glass harder when Tim, being Tim, once again did nothing to hide his wandering gaze as he leaned back in a relaxing manner. Why had I even decided to come here? Right, I wanted to get rid of the asshole, and maybe also win the breakup. My plan of doing that? It was pretty non-existent, actually.

"Yeah, definitely the _only_ thing," I muttered and took a sip from the clear liquor, relishing in the familiar burn.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Tim frowned and removed his extended arms from the back of his couch.

"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe that you have the memory of a goldfish and refuse to recall how our relationship ended!" My patience just jumped out the broken window. Oh well! Since I was here already, I might as well get something out of it by sorting out some past conflicts; _or_ create new ones. Either way worked, really.

"I remember that crystal clear, actually! Maybe _you're_ the one who needs a reminder," Tim retorted and abruptly stood up. _I knew it!_ He wasn't after catching up, he craved a fight just as much as I did! And one can wonder why our relationship didn't work out… I shot up from my seat as well.

"Oh yeah! _Who_ cheated on _who_ , now?" I seethed and took a step closer, shoving my finger into his chest.

"Don't drag _that_ up! You were just as bad!" Tim replied with a squinted gaze.

"Excuse me! You had _multiple_ girls, and I swear you can't even name any one of them!" Tim opened his mouth for a comeback, but nothing came out. " _Exactly!"_ I showed off a triumphant smirk.

"Well! It wasn't just that! You were craving conflicts then, and you obviously still do!" Tim pointed out with a dramatic wave of his hand.

"Like you're any better!" I snorted.

It was safe to say that this argument went absolutely _nowhere_. The screaming continued for a bit, until I finally had enough and wasted my vodka by throwing it into Tim's face.

"REAL MATURE!" he called after me as I stormed out of the house. Indeed, I was very much aware of a cliché warning, but the action had still been pretty damn satisfying.

To be honest, as I stomped home, even a _calm_ feeling began to spread through my body. It resembled one appearing after a really tough workout. Fighting relaxed me, it released some of the pressure that was constantly building up inside of me. At the same time the experience was also a nice little walk down memory lane, reliving my messed up relationship with Tim. Plus, now he wouldn't want to see me again! Not after that fight. Overall, a win-win situation! However, there was one fight of ours which would _never_ be out-classed.

* * *

OCTOBER 2004

 _The blood raised through my body, about to boil over when I saw his stupid grin in the middle of the hallway. I slammed my locker shut and made Tanya jump beside me._

" _Everything okay, Parks?" When I didn't respond to her concerned look, she turned her head in the direction of my narrowed gaze. "Oh." Her almond brown corkscrew curls bounced a little as she nodded in understanding._

 _Without a word, I pushed my beige shoulder bag into Tanya's arms before stomping over to the grinning Tim whose surrounding friends laughed at something he'd just said._

" _You bastard!" I fumed, and his smile was instantly wiped off. Tim's friends took a few unsure steps back as the man in question sighed._

" _What_ now _, Parka?"_

" _Don't call me that!" I shoved my forefinger into his chest, fighting the urge to hit him with my fist instead. "You know very well what I'm talking about, you cheating scum!" Tim was taken aback and gaped at me for a moment, before making a quick recovering._

" _So you wanna do this here? Now?" he asked and cocked a brow up._

" _Oh,_ hell _yeah," I seethed and took another step closer, standing mere inches from him. "How many times have you done it, huh? Gone behind my back and slept with anyone who threw as much as a_ glance _your way!"_

" _Don't patronize me! Like you're any better," Tim spat back. "Every guy swoons over you in the blink of an eye! I wonder why. It's certainly not because of your charming personality!"_

" _That doesn't mean I_ sleep _with them!" I barked, gritting my teeth._

" _No, of course not! Being emotionally unavailable and all!" Tim sneered._

"Excuse _me! How dare you say that?"_

"Plus _, you're always looking for conflicts! Like right now! And you_ always _need an audience!" He threw his arms out, and for the first time since we started this I paid attention to our surroundings. Our fellow classmates and other kids at school had stopped to stare at the scene unfolding before them with wide eyes. Drama always attracted attention. I decided to ignore them._

" _Like you're_ so _much better!" I pointed out with a huff. Was I the_ only _one arguing in the middle of a crowded hallway? Hmm, I didn't think so!_

" _Clearly I know how to work my way around," Tim scoffed._

" _More like_ sleep _around!" I hissed._

" _Okay, I got it!" he yelled._

" _YOU LIAR!" I fumed._

" _SOULLESS DRAMA QUEEN!" was spat back._

" _WHORE!"_

" _That's enough!" a new voice called, and Tim and I were roughly pushed apart whilst still glaring at the other. Mr Tanner's angry stare flew between us. Of course_ he – _the only teacher in school who didn't bother hiding his hate directed against me –_ had _to be the one to intervene. The look I met those sharp eyes with was mutual. "You two are making a scene." To that, I scoffed, receiving a warning glare. "Both of you, go to the principal's office._ Now _. Before I give you detention for the rest of the year!" He released the grips he'd had on either of our shoulders, pointing at the hallway behind me with an urging nod._

 _Reluctantly, I obeyed with a scowl. Tim followed suit._

" _If I hear as much as a_ whisper, _you two can forget passing my class!" Tanner bellowed after us. Who needed to pass history anyway?_

 _Still, all that was heard were some nasty word being muttered as Tim and I stepped into the waiting room and sat down on the uncomfortable, red, plastic chairs to await the principal's welcoming, refusing to look at each other._

 _Principal Walters inflicted fear on the school, and being sent to her was not preferred by any poor soul. But my mind had no room for those thoughts right now, I only wanted to scream my lungs out dry at Tim. How could that lying, cheating whore dare call_ me _emotionally unavailable? Had he not heard me yell only five minutes ago! If there was something I had, it was emotions. I would make sure he got that._

" _You two can go in now," a women with cocoa skin and brown afro spoke up from the desk in the other end of the room. She nodded instructively towards the door behind her._ Of course _I was the first to rise up, Tim not moving an inch. Dick._

 _The chairs inside the office were much more comfortable than the plastic ones outside. These were even padded._ Padded! _Fancy as fuck. The principal swiveled her chair around; which was_ even _fancier, might I add, ergonomically correct and all. Her green eyes pierced right through me as she furrowed her blonde brows. Damn. A part of me had forgotten how intimidating she could be. But considering how many times I had been forced to have a little 'chat' with her over the year, I was more than used to that gaze by now._

 _A thought, completely out of nowhere, hit me. The principal before me had a daughter around Elena's age, who my little sister always nagged about, saying that she was acting cold towards both Elena and Bonnie. If I remembered correctly, the little blonde usually hung out with Caroline. Wouldn't want to be in her shoes, having the principal as your mother. Poor Juliette._

 _Principal Walters sighed and placed her elbows on the mahogany desk in front of her, a table which had surely blown the crappy school's budget to bits._

" _Here we are again," she remarked with another sigh. "I was really expecting more from you, Miss Gilbert."_ Ouch _._

" _Oh, Suzanne." I smirked and leaned back in the comfortable, brown, padded chair. "We both know that's a big, fat lie." She ignored my comment, instead turning her green eyes onto Tim. He was fiddling with his keys and staring out the big window behind her. The sun was shining into my eyes, which Suzanne clearly noticed, but made no effort to fix the blinds only a few feet away from her. Bitch._

 _A wrinkle formed between the principal's blonde brows. She had the two most difficult individuals in the entire school sitting in front of her, and even though we were currently fighting, Tim and I had been together long enough to silently be able to decide when to put our petty differences aside to mess with her. Given, this relationship had_ some _positive aspects, but I still hadn't forgotten about the cheating and the lies yet. Mark my words._

" _Whatever your argument was about, Miss Gilbert and Mr Andrews, you cannot cause a scene like that in school. It is_ completely _unacceptable. Especially since there are younger students present. I am truly regretful that I have to do this, but you have forced my hand." Suzanne sighed, but I didn't believe her for a second, she couldn't care less about either of us. I bet she even hated our guts. "Sadly, you both need to be punished for this behavior."_

 _Tim and I shared a look. Oh boy._

" _I think that we will start with–"_

 _The door suddenly swung open behind us, and a woman in her early 30s dressed in black slacks, a striped T-shirt and a navy blue blazer barged in. I had_ never _been so relieved to see the pixie cut, henna red, curly hair that belonged to the only good teacher in this school in all my life! Emma Cartwright's fair skin had taken on a slightly pinkish tone, matching her hair quiet nicely, probably caused from running through the entire school to our rescue._

" _Excuse my late arrival," she excused in a polite manner and closed the door behind her. Why did the Brits constantly apologize? "I happened to pass Mr Tanner in the hall, and he informed me that two of my mentor students had been sent to you," Emma addressed principal Walters politely. "I hope you haven't made any decision concerning them without my knowledge?" she inquired with a raise of her brows._

 _HA!_

 _Suzanne's face became expressionless for a moment, except for the muscles in her jaw clenching, before she forced a small smile._

" _Of course not, Miss Cartwright," she reassured my english teacher with a nod. "That would be against the faculty's rules, after all."_

" _Precisely," Emma said and returned the principal's strained smile with a much warmer one. If she hadn't already been my favorite teacher, then she was now! Managing to beat the frickin principal at her own game!_

" _Some sort of detention is necessary, I believe," Suzanne spoke and cut my victory short. Dammit. I inclined my head in Emma's direction, hoping for another rescuing comment. Instead, she only nodded._

" _Of course."_

 _Darn. Guess she couldn't always be superwoman. Occasionally, the villain also had to win. Yes, the principal was the bad guy in this scenario. Although Emma still managed to ease the punishment considerably._

 _Both Tim and I were sent on our way with nothing but a few weeks of detention. If Suzanne would've had it her way, then we would undoubtedly have been expelled._

" _Miss Gilbert!" I stopped in the doorway of the little blue waiting room. Tim ignored the same voice when it called his name as well, and instead the douche ran down the hallway with his tail between his legs. I would get him later._

" _Yeah?" I swiveled around on my heel to face Emma._

" _Walk with me?" she suggested politely. I nodded and began strolling through the hallway beside her. She was considerably shorter than me, even though she was wearing a pair of black, high-heeled boots, very similar to mine. "I just wanted to make sure you're alright. Principal Walters has a knack of getting into one's head." I could feel Emma study the side of my face as she spoke, but I kept my gaze on the shining, white floor ahead. Her gesture was kind of sweet, but I didn't need her concern. My parents were providing me with enough of that already._

" _No worries. I can handle it." I shrugged_

" _I'm positive you can," her smooth, British accent spoke beside me. It could have come off as sounding a bit ironic, but Emma actually seemed to mean what she'd said. She believed me and didn't push the matter any further, bidding me a farewell as she hurried to her next class. I couldn't help but hold onto my opinion of her: the best teacher in this hellhole of a school._


	22. Pulled Back In

Being back behind the bar again for work meant life was good. As stubborn as Bella was, she still saw that I was more useful serving drinks than forcing pleasant smiles to my face when waiting on customers and giving them their ordered food in time.

As I placed a glass of beer in front of one of the many customers today, their faces having begun melting together into one blurry mass, causing me to rarely remember any of them, I noticed a slightly familiar man approach the bar counter out in the corner of my eye. Although, I didn't pay any real attention to him until he seated himself on the high stool right in front of me, leaning over the counter.

"Hi, niece!" he basically _screamed_ straight into my ear.

"Oh, _fuck_ no!" I sighed, put a hand over my ringing ear and turned my back against him.

"That's not how you greet your family," Uncle John playfully scolded, earning a scoff. I moved away from him to rearranging some of the glasses on the counter a few feet away, my back still turned to him, but his annoying voice followed me anyway. "Come on now, Parker!" John nagged. "Haven't you missed your old uncle even a _little_ bit?" I turned to fully face him, crossing my arms in front of my chest in the process.

"No. I _really_ haven't."

"Okay, okay." John lifted his hands in a surrendering gesture. "I get it. I'm not gonna occupy you when you're clearly working." He nodded towards the already perfectly arranged glasses with a small grin. _Dick._ "But we need to talk about the Founders' Day Kick-off Party."

"What about it?" I sighed and stopped pretending to be busy plucking with the glasses.

"You're going," John stated seriously.

"Uhm. No, I'm not," I retorted with a frown. I'd already expressed my disinterest in that party to Jenna, being more than tired with all the Mystic drama; but if _John_ wanted me to go? No-huh. "I couldn't care less about that crap! As you know."

" _Really_?" John raised his brows, doubtfully. "That's not what I've heard. Say, from _Liz_." Biting my tongue, I didn't answer. Maybe the Sheriff caving to give me a foot into the Council wasn't so odd, after all. But if John wanted me there, I'd rather stay away. John leaned over the black, shiny counter again, his expression serious as he lowered his voice. "Gilbert is an important name in this town, _all_ of the family members needs to be there."

"Well, it's a good thing that I'm not a _real_ Gilbert then," I bit back with a fake smile.

"That doesn't count and you know it. You're still going," John insisted. As always, he ignored the fact I was adopted, just like in the past insisting that I'd be brought in on the ' _Gilbert family secret'_. Speaking of which.

"If this is about the town's little problem," I leaned in closer in turn and spoke in a hushed, "then I can tell you right now that I'm _not_ helping." Grabbing a wet cloth, I began wiping of the counter whilst glaring back at John.

"It's your duty as a–"

"I already said I don't care," I cut off and rubbed on an extra persistent spot on the otherwise shiny surface. "I never have. _Which_ you already know."

John sighed and finally sat down again, giving me room to wipe the counter in front of him. "Not caring and not believing are two _very_ different things," he pointed out.

"Fine. I believe, but I don't give a tiny rat's ass about it!" The annoying spot finally faded and I could restore the counter to its full glory. At least rubbing on the spot had given an output for some of the aggression building up thanks to John's presence, but now I lacked one.

"You never told me what made you change your mind," John realized with a frown.

"That's 'cause we don't talk unless you force me to," I spat. "Plus, it's none of your business," I added and avoided his gaze by continuing wiping the now perfectly clean bar counter.

"Okay, little Miss Charming," John said in his normal, chirpy and annoying tone. "But I expect to see you at the Kick-off." He pointed at me expectantly.

"Not happening," I sing-songed back.

"You're gonna want to be on the right side, Parker. There's bigger trouble ahead. If you care about your sister whatsoever, you should be at the Founders' event." What did he mean by that cryptic statement?

"That sounds like a threat," I remarked with my forehead in a deep frown.

"It's a fact," John spoke seriously, igniting a suspicion within me. What did he know?

"If you know something about Elena being in danger–" I began, a threat forming on the tip of my tongue.

"You'll find out, _if_ you show up tonight." John interrupted.

"Why is it _so_ important?" I groaned with a roll of my eyes.

"Think of it as a way of reestablishing our trust," John spoke in the same cryptic matter. What was with him today?

I let out a scoff. "Yeah! Like there was any of _that_ before!"

"Just think about it and you can decide later," he finished and got up from the stool. One last stare was focused on me, before he left.

My forehead in creases, I followed his back as he exited the Grill in big strides. He was _definitely_ hiding something. Then again, he'd always known more than he let on, for as long as I could remember.

When I was younger, he'd always put me off with his cryptic words and stories about the most occult and strange. As I'd gotten older, he'd insisted on telling me more about the Gilbert legacy. Mostly, a bunch of crap; or so the eighteen year old me had thought when he'd tried to force the big secret about vampires on me, much to my parents dissatisfaction. During one family dinner especially, I had accused him of being crazy before storming off from the table. Thankfully, I'd left town for college soon after.

His stories of _vampires_ were just plain nonsense! Them being burned in a church back in the 1800s after the town had gathered them there? _RIGHT!_ After reluctantly having read old Johnathan Gilbert's journals, which my Uncle John had forced on me one time when babysitting, I had dismissed them as a load of crap written by a lunatic.

However, later, I was proven _dead_ wrong one night, shortly after arriving in New York.

It had been a dark night in October, and I'd stayed late at a bar in a more, hmm, well, _unpleasant_ part of the city. Having been the last remaining customer, the manager had tried to kick me out several times, but I had refused to budge, no matter how much he nagged, shoved or yelled. Eventually, he just gave up, dimmed the lights and told me to stay away from his booze, leaving me alone in the small, nasty bar.

Or, well, _almost_ alone. Neither of us had noticed the man sitting in one of the corner booths, and I probably wouldn't have seen him at all, hadn't he walked right into me. He'd tried playing his behavior off as flirty, since he was young and hot in that bad boyish way, I didn't mind. But being pretty drunk, as I of course was, I hadn't felt like taking it any further. Which was why I began squirming against his grip when he refused to leave me alone. My mouth's bad habit of spitting nasty words had existed back then as well, which had seemed to be my only weapon against the man, until my fingers found a convenient wooden spoon on the bar counter he had lifted me up on.

As red veins had began playing under his eyes, along with the whites also taking on the same deep, purple-red color, I panicked and jammed the shank of the wooden spoon into his stomach. Whether it was pure luck, or maybe those archery lessons where I'd practised my aim as a kid, I didn't know, but somehow I managed to pierce the man's heart. Instead of his fangs digging into my neck, he gasped for breath whilst veins began to pop all over his body as his skin turned ash-gray, making him slide off me to fall dead on the floor.

It had been a shocking experiences as it was, but the revelation that the supernatural world was real had been even worse. I'd lost it and bailed the scene, contemplating on the stories my uncle had told me about vampires as I'd hurried down the dark streets in the cold autumn air.

Before this, I had never _considered_ that there was more to this world than what met the naked eye. But somehow, in that very moment, I decided that I wanted to know more. The first thought that happened to pop into my head involved my biological parents; don't ask me why, it's some sort of weird obsession adopted kids have. An insane idea that their mysterious past was somehow connected to this supernatural madness began to take form in my mind. I decided I would find out the truth, now matter how much I had to lie to my family in the process. I certainly wasn't going to go running back and admit my mistake to John, admit I had been _wrong._

Although I think he had sensed that I knew more than I was letting on when the subject was brought up at a family dinner soon after, but Mom had by then made him swore to keep me out of the supernatural business until I was ready, so he had been forced to leave it alone. Until today, apparently. Which made me wonder: why _now_?

* * *

Worst part of the day: making dinner after a ten hour long shift without any break. Honestly, I was beginning to question the working agreement I had with the Grill; the hours seemed kind of unhealthy from time to time. But since I still got paid a decent amount of money _and_ had access to free alcohol, I could live with the job.

After my failed attempt at cooking, I was forced to take a shower and scrub away burnt smell from my skin. This might sound like a simple task, but not in my bathroom. It was like a frickin war zone! I rarely went in there unless I _absolutely_ had to.

During my quick shower, the water changed from icy cold to burning hot every few seconds, leaving my tanned skin with big, red spots every here and there. _Pleasant_. Carefully, I stepped out of the bathroom and into my walk-in-closet, avoiding the chipped shards of the once white tile spread over the floor in the process.

A movement out in the corner of my eye caught my attention, and I narrowed my gaze to scout for the cause of the motion. Thanks to the apartment's layout, I had a perfect view of my bed as I stood by the door that lead into the bathroom and spied through my walk-in-closet before me. The light in the bedroom slash living room was dimmed, but with a click the lamp next to my unmade bed lit up; and _I_ wasn't the one to press the button. A smirking Damon was the cause of this, and his satisfied grin only grew wider when he noticed the mere towel wrapped around my still wet body.

"Am I interrupting?" he asked with a amused look and a raise of his brows. Instead of bothering to answer, I only walked through the oblong, baby blue room and slammed the door shut in his face.

Sighing, I slipped into a pair of long, black pajama pants and a soft, navy blue sweatshirt. I _knew_ getting drunk and being carried home by Damon would come back to bite me! Well, not literally. But if it hadn't been for that night, then Damon wouldn't have had a clue to where I lived. Or maybe he would've found out some other way. I guess this was doomed to happen to matter what.

As I stepped out of the walk-in-closet and closed the door behind me with a loud, echoing bang, I greeted Damon with a neutral look and a short nod.

"What? Not happy to see me?" Damon smirked and scooted from the middle of my bed to jump up from it, before moving closer.

"You're the second person to say something like that today." I swiveled on my sock clad heel when Damon got too close, moving towards my kitchenette instead.

"I'm not the _first_?" Damon exclaimed and gaped at me with a hand placed over his heart. Rolling my eyes, I turned to the mountain of dishes before me, all covered with burned residues, both the plates and the pots.

"What do you want?" I directed towards Damon with a sigh, burying my makeup-free face in my hands, letting them fall as I felt a whoosh of air blow my damp hair off my neck. Damon blocked my sight over my dish-filled sink by suddenly standing inches in front of me. My heart bounced in my chest, but I refused to take a step back, my nose only separated from Damon's chin by a thin barrier of air.

"Do you mind?" I frowned at Damon's question, and he motioned for me to sit down on the padded armchair a few feet away in the living room part of my studio apartment. "Sit. Relax," he instructed.

Full of doubt, I slowly obeyed and took a seat on the soft cushions, my legs draping over one of the chair's arms. Damon slipped of his black leather jacket and threw it at me, proceeding with rolling up the sleeves of his black shirt all the way to his elbows as he turned to the heap of dishes.

"Still ignoring your sister?" he casually asked, moving the pile to the light wooden counter before turning on the tap. Warm, steaming water flowed up from the sink and filled the small area consisting of the U-shaped kitchenette and the tiny hall. What was this nice act? Damon washing my dirty _dishes_? Come on! He was up to something. He _had_ to be.

"Yep," I answered and tossed Damon's leather jacket over to my couch instead. "Why?" He hesitated for a moment. The scene unfolding before me was odd: Damon – _Damon Salvatore! –_ with a neon green dish brush in his hand. The muscles in his jaws tensed slightly as he stared into the foaming water filling the sink.

"There's something you should know."

* * *

"So you're telling me that Jeremy is suspicious about Vicki's death. _A problem_." I raised a finger. "You snapped my uncle John's neck and threw him off a balcony–" Damon's face scrunched into a grimace. "– which we'll have words about later," I warned. "But then he came back to life. Not a problem, but _odd_." A second finger was raised. "Thanks to the same type of ring that brought Alaric back from the dead when _you killed him_ a while back. _Also_ a _clear_ problem _._ " A third finger shot up. "And to top it all of; Stefan is a bloodaholic who can barely control his urges to rip someone's throat out!" I finished and raised a fourth finger, gripping them all with my free hand. "Did I get everything?" I tilted my head to the side.

Damon was long done with my dishes, now drying them with a towel. "Yeah, sounds about right."

"Man! I missed _quite_ the party!" I exclaimed and leaned back against the chair's armrest. Maybe I _should_ have taken John's advice and attended the Kick-off thing. But even if I had swallowed my stubbornness, work would still have gotten in the way. "But why are you telling _me_ this?" I furrowed my brows. "It's not like we're friends or something."

"Aren't we?" Damon inquired nonchalantly, placing a dry glass on the counter. "If you think about it, we've got the potential for it," he pointed out. " _Or_ something more," he added with a wink. _Of course_ he had to go there.

"Fine." I ignored the last part. "But there's still a whole line of people to share this information with. Stefan, Alaric, Elena… Why me?"

Damon frowned. "Because I know how it feels to bicker with a sibling. You still deserve to know these things." He spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Was it odd that I didn't agree? This whole thing seemed very out of character for Damon. It was too… _nice._ Showing up when I was in nothing but a towel, _not_ doing anything besides dropping a few comments. Cleaning my dishes, filling me in on everything. It felt extremely strange. But I guess I just wasn't used to a friendship, or whatever you'd like to call it. Damon and the word ' _friend'_ didn't really go hand in hand for me. At all.

"Okay…" A thought hit me. "Wait, you said that Stefan was having trouble controlling his bloodlust. Why did it sound as if that wasn't a problem to you?" I questioned and leaned forward to wrap my arms around my legs and scrutinize Damon.

"It's about time Stefan accepts his vampire side," Damon retorted, getting a little annoyed. Now everything was steering back to normal. Although he was still standing in my kitchen with a towel in his hands, placing a dry glass in the top cabinet. "I'll admit, the timing could have been better. But what can I do?"

"Ehrm, I don't know, _LOCK HIM UP_?" It didn't take an Einstein to figure that out. Murderous vampire plus a party filled with living, breathing people full of pumping blood: throw him in a cell. Easy as that!

"Aren't you overreacting a little?" Damon said with a wry smirk.

"Aren't _you underreacting?_ Hmm?" Damon still looked doubtful at my sudden heroism. "I don't care about the ' _innocent people'_ ," I sighed and made quotation marks in the air. " _However!_ I have a sister who just so happens to date said blood-craving vampire," I explained in a forced calm tone. Damon only stared at me. This was going nowhere! "You know what! I'm just going to ignore the fact that you think it's okay that my little sister's boyfriend is a bloodaholic who could rip her neck open at any given moment." I paused to breathe. "The rest however…"

This would be a good time to fill in the blanks for Damon with the information that the Gilbert family secret had provided me with. The very same info John had flashed in the Salvatore's face before necks were snapped.

"Jer still has a thing with Anna, which might explain why he is fishing for clues about Vicki's death. It wouldn't surprise me if he's figured out some of it out already… But everything John knows, he knows from stuff like journals that have been passed down through generations. My guess is that the ring belongs in that category."

"He did say he gave one to Isobel," Damon butted in. Huh, that piece of information must have slipped the vampire's mind earlier.

I raised my brows. "So John gave his ring to Elena's _birth mother?_ This is getting more and more complicated by the minute!" I grunted and rubbed my forehead whilst resting my elbows against my knees. An annoying headache had began taking form.

"Tell me about it!" Damon scoffed.

"Anyway. _That_ means Alaric got his ring from Isobel, which proves that everything connects to the Gilbert legacy crap," I concluded and slapped my hands down on my thighs.

Why was I even getting mixed up in all this crap and helping Damon? I wanted to stay as far away from this confusing business as possible! My only motivation for intervening had been Elena, which was no longer a good one since she had apparently decided to tell _Damon_ about Stefan's blood problem instead of _me_ ; her own frickin sister! Because he knew more about vampire's habits and cravings better, since he was one? LOAD OF CRAP! I had _just_ as much knowledge about vampires as the Salvatore! But getting off subject. The point was: Elena's a bitchy sister who refused to tell me things, while Damon showed up to fill me in on everything without any _clear_ hidden agenda; besides maybe wanting to catch me in pajamas shorts, not sorry to disappoint there. It was sad day when I had to admit that a murderous and psychopathic vampire was better at retaining relations than my _own_ sister.

"Okay, I'm done," I sighed, swinging my legs down from the chair's armrest. "I'm out," I added and held my hands up. "This is all just too much to handle after midnight." I grabbed Damon's jacket from the couch to hand it to him. "Thanks for dropping by and updating me. _Don't_ make this unannounced thing a habit," I warned with my finger in his face. Damon's smirk showed that this was _exactly_ what he'd been planning. _Great._

"Good night, Parker," his silky smooth voice spoke as he held out his hand for me. I hesitated for a moment, but decided to be polite and shake it.

As I moved to do this, I was pulled closer with a rapid motion and crashed into Damon's chest, our faces once again inches apart. Damon's gaze studied my face closely, fluttering over certain features and watching others carefully, especially lingering over my lips; or maybe I figured he did, since I couldn't stop staring at his, they happened to be in height with my eyes. Forcefully, I swallowed a lump forming in my throat as a tingling sensation occurred where Damon's hand was wrapped around my wrist. Of course he noticed this, only smirking as he released me and drew back.

"Hope to see you back in the game soon," he added with a wink, before leaving me stunned, right in the middle of my apartment.

When the door shut behind him, my thoughts were unmuted. I stood frozen, listening to them freaking out over what that had been, as the realization slowly crept up on me.

All in all, I was pretty much fucked.


	23. Beers & Gowns

A finger poked into a slender shoulder wearing the typical white shirt chefs are clad in, had a blonde head twirling around, and the body it sat on immediately taking an unsure step back.

"Parker?" Chase tested, his shoulders suddenly tense due to my grim features.

"You _snitch_."

Chase sweet face scrunched together into a guilty expression as he moved his hand to scratch the back of his head. "Look, I'm sorr–"

"Save it," I grunted and unfolded my arms, gripping the plate with a freshly made hamburger and fries from the silver counter. "I got my eyes on you." I squinted my eyes threateningly, glimpsing Chase gulping before I banged the doors open to the Grill with my foot.

The noisy kitchen faded away behind me and was replaced by a deafening chattering which indicated that the venue was full, as it always tended to be around lunchtime. It was even packed to the point that I had jumped in and volunteered – actually _volunteered! –_ as a waitress. Being responsible and all that shit.

"Here you go." I placed the steamy hot plate before a dark-haired man and flashed him a quick, bleak smile, being returned with the same. He actually seemed a bit familiar. Shrugging the feeling off, I decided it was probably just a regular.

As I moved back to my regular place behind the bar counter, a buzzing made itself known from my pocket. Usually, I kept my phone in my locker back in the staff's room, but for whatever reason I'd forgotten to throw it in there today. The sight of Elena's number greeting me had me scrunching my nose.

I hadn't spoken to her since the time she'd called to inform me about Vicki's body being found. Elena had sounded distant then, and ever since a tendency for her to keep things from me had kept on increasing. Starting with Stefan being kidnapped and my sister stating a rescue mission by using _my_ weapons _without_ me, and continuing with the whole bloodaholic vampire boyfriend drama, seeking guidance and advice from _Damon_ – of _all_ people! – instead of me.

To say her behavior was bugging me was an understatement. It was pissing me off! Which was why I genuinely considered ignoring her call, at first. But I couldn't. Perhaps her niceness – when it came to other people who weren't me, at least – had rubbed off on me a bit. _Darn_.

"Yes?" was all I said into the phone; _forget_ that I was greeting her warmly!

"Hey, Parks…" Oh, but she sounded so troubled. Stand your ground woman!

"What do you want?" I asked after a moment of silence, pretending to be busy behind the bar, all whilst hiding my phone call from prying eyes and Bella's x-ray vision.

"Look," she began with a heavy sigh. "I know that we haven't been on the best terms lately–"

"Because you lied to me," I interrupted.

"Which _you_ 've _never_ done before," Elena retorted in a harsh enough tone to knock me out of balance. That wasn't like her. "Sorry," she went on with another sigh, "it's just… I really need to ask for a favor. I need my old sister back."

"Why?"

"Because… Well…" Oh, just spit it out woman! "They announced the nominees for the Founders' court today. I'm in, along with Caroline, and I have _no_ idea what to do, say or wear," Elena finally blurted out. _Oh_. I see.

"Mom entered you into that," I recalled vividly. She had practically been jumping with excitement when they'd filled out the papers together on the dining table, occurring during one of my brief visits back home.

"I figured, since you were in this thing, that you'd know…" Elena left the words hanging in the air, for me to finish her thought for her.

Straightening my posture, I tried sounding a bit softer when I spoke again. "You want some expertise advice from a Miss Mystic survivor?"

"Exactly!" Elena's beam of relief shone through the phone.

"Okay. I got you covered," I promised, the image of Mom's beam as vivid in my mind as it surely was in my sister's. "But I'm warning you, it's not gonna be easy."

"I know. _Caroline_ 's in it." Elena slowly blew out a breath.

"Oh, we're gonna beat her," I spoke confidently.

"You sure? She probably deserves to win more than m–"

"Nonsense! You're gonna win over Caroline thanks to me. I'll be the perfect coach," I reassured.

"That's a relief," Elena chuckled.

"One condition." Her laugh died out. "We need to talk about the elephant in the room." There was a long pause, I almost thought she had hung up on me. Until…

"I know you don't like Stefan, Parker. But don't you think calling him an elephant is taking it a little too far?" A snorting sound escaped me, caused by a failed attempt at smothering my laughter. When did my sister get so witty? I had never been more proud! Wiping away a tear from the corner of my eye, I tried to calm myself with a deep breath.

"Okay, time out. _Awesome_ joke, sis. Hands down. Time back in again: you know what I mean. I don't like being lied to. _Ever._ " An intake of air was all it took for me to predict what Elena was going to reply with. "Keeping someone in the dark and lying to them is the same thing. At least to me," I defended.

"You're right," Elena sighed, for like the hundredth time during only this conversation. Actually, thinking about it, she always sighed a lot these days. "At least we'll have lots to talk about then, no uncomfortable silences." I smiled, but caught a glimpse of a platinum blonde head heading towards me, my action quickly freezing to fade.

"Gotta go, Elena. I'll call you after work. Bye!" I caught a similar reply before pressing the call away.

As I poured up a beer to hand it to a woman in front of me, Bella drew past me on her way to the kitchen, a quick glance cast over her shoulder. As I tested out my biggest beam, having it feel strained on my face, I was actually rewarded with a confirming nod. _Keep up the good work._ Oh, I would.

* * *

FEBRUARY 2006

" _You look beautiful, honey." My mom beamed at me through the mirror, her hands lightly placed on my bare shoulders. The indigo dress was indeed drop-dead gorgeous, but also happened to cut into all sorts of uncomfortable places. I didn't point out any of this to my mom, however. She was too happy about me for once doing something nice for the community, besides keeping their police staff busy. I couldn't ruin it for her._

 _The preparations had only taken a few hours, but during that time Tim had already texted me about a bizillion times, every single one of them being thoroughly ignored. If Mom found out that I was still seeing him, when a completely different guy would escort me out on the dance floor tonight, then she would_ freak _. Nah, it was better to keep him a secret for a little while longer. He never had nor ever would be what you called 'boyfriend material'. But the free booze was good enough for_ me _, at least._

 _A knock on the door interrupted me from my worries, my mom and I twirling our heads around towards the sound simultaneously. A tall man dressed in a fancy suit peeped his head inside the white room, illuminated by the afternoon sunlight. Every white detail in the room was glowing, from the thin, woven drapes and the basic sofa to the marble floor. It was white enough to hurt my eyes, and Mom didn't exactly help with her light pink dress and discreet and natural yet glowing makeup either. Thankfully, Dad's black suit broke the trend, meaning that his presence was very much welcomed._

" _Mirand– Wow." His eyes widened as they wandered from Mom to me. "Who are you and where is my daughter?"_

" _Haha," I bickered back, folding my arms in front of my chest as a shiver passed over my skin, all exposed by the halterneck dress._

" _Honestly, sweetie. You're gonna kill everyone out there looking like that."_

" _Gray," Mom warned, yet she smiled at her husband's joking side._

" _I'm kidding." Dad winked at me over Mom's head, and I put a hand over my mouth to stifle my chuckle._

" _Is it starting already?" Mom asked, in a sudden worried tone._

" _No, no!" Dad reassured with a shake of his head. "It's just that I'm going to need some backup."_

" _For wha–" Mom began with a frown, but before she could finish the door behind Dad swung open entirely to have two small whirlwinds barge in, answering her question for her._

" _Hey, stop that!" Dad scolded when Jeremy started pulling on the drapes framing the window on the other side of the room from where I was standing by the tall mirror framed with gold. The other little whirlwind had calmed down immediately, standing before me to look up at me with wide eyes. As Dad grabbed Jer and held him by his stomach in a wrestling grip, Elena pulled at my long dress for my attention._

" _You look amazing, Parks." Her voice was nothing but a mesmerized whisper, and I couldn't help but smile. I squatted before her, impressively done when wearing heels, might I add, while my mom made a hissing sound in the background, probably fearing that my dress would rip at the odd movement. Ignoring her, I tucked away a dark-brown strand of pin straight hair from Elena's round cheek._

" _Thanks, Tornado." She grinned, two front teeth missing. "Could you turn down the strength of your wind a bit? Dad's gonna get a headache." Elena nodded violently. "Good girl." I smiled and straightened up, still ignoring Mom's worried gaze examining my dress. "You can go, I'm basically finished," I reassured her._

" _But your makeup–"_

" _I got it, Mom," I insisted. "Look after the little ones instead."_

 _Mom smiled when Elena grabbed her hand. "Okay then, honey." Dad carefully sat down the squirming Jeremy, who immediately shot towards Mom to cling to her knee-length dress, wrapping his entire little body around her leg._

" _I knew we should have left them at home with a babysitter," Dad sighed, airing his thoughts when Mom was too busy with the kids to hear him._

" _Where's the fun in that?" I pointed out, receiving a weak smile from Dad as he followed Mom out of the room._

" _You got this, sweetie," he called, giving me two thumbs up before closing the white door._

Finally _some peace and quiet! I turned away from the full-length mirror and sat down on a white stool, twirling it to face a smaller mirror, framed by big lightbulbs similar to those I only imagined existed on movie sets in Hollywood. Pleased, I let a hand travel over my knotted updo, savoring the fact that my hair for_ once _wasn't all over the place._

 _Easily, I applied some simple makeup, skipping the cat eye and instead brushing a thin layer of sparkly eye shadow across my lids to match my dress. A little mascara, a nude lip and I was done. I looked strange without my usual eyeliner and dark, bold lip, but Mom would have_ slaughtered _me if I walked down the steps looking like my usual self, the one matching the mugshots down at the station._

 _Once I was done, I sent a quick text to stop Tim's flow of_ 'why aren't you answering me?' _. On second thought, I probably should have told him about the Miss Mystic thing beforehand, but then he would've most likely found a way to crash the event. It was too late for him to make those type of plans now, so there was no harm in telling him anymore._

 _When another knock on the door broke the silence in the room, I threw my phone back into my black purse on the white sofa – which looked so out of place there, a black spot in the Lockwood's perfect facade. The black sheep of the party, that was what I felt like. No matter how many times Mom tried to tell me otherwise._

" _Come in," I called, shrugging off the heavy feelings those thoughts brought. I figured it would be Mom or Dad who wanted to give me a last minute pep-talk, but instead none other than my escort for the evening stepped in. His tall, athletic body looked incredible in the simple, black suit, and the sight of the short, curly hair remaining seemingly the same as always calmed me a bit. Even as I felt like I was putting on a show in my dress with my fancy hair and makeup, at least I would have something familiar to hold on to during the dance. Which, by the way, was_ not _causing me to be nauseous from nervousness. No, no. Because dancing was_ easy _!_ Especially _when you've trained the exact moves over and over again for_ weeks _. So why were my knees shaking like crazy?_

" _You doing okay?" Mason asked with a tilt of his head. As I was pulled out from my thoughts and quickly found myself forcing a sweet smile to convince him of how perfectly fine I was doing. Then, I realized that this wasn't my mom, and relaxed my facial muscles._

" _I'm kinda freaking out," I admitted, clenching and unclenching my fists. Mason noticed my action and stepped forward to take both of my hands in his._

" _You got this," he reassured as I stared at his comforting grip, all whilst biting into my lip._

" _What if I fail somehow and everyone laughs?" My voice was shaking, and I_ hated _feeling so weak and vulnerable._

" _They won't," Mason spoke surely._

" _How can you be so certain?" I asked and raised my face to meet his blue gaze._

" _Because Carol will_ obliterate _anyone who ruins this event. Trust me, I know my sister-in-law." His smile calmed me a bit, rubbing off a little on me as well. "Deep breaths," Mason instructed, and I obeyed whilst still looking into his eyes. "We're gonna do this. I'll be by your side through the whole thing." He squeezed my hands and nodded to_ really _underline the meaning of his words._

 _What had I done to deserve such a nice guy helping me through this sucky even? He hadn't needed to step in as my escort, no one had made him. The choice had been as free as the position to stand at my side, and from out of nowhere Mason Lockwood had appeared, unyielding with his decision. In his presence, all thoughts of Tim seemed to wither away, leaving an odd feeling in my stomach._

 _The sensation wasn't familiar to me, but I had a likely guess to what it meant._

 _Really, ditching Tim for Mason wasn't such a bad idea. For starters, Mom would_ definitely _approve of me dating a Lockwood, even though he was scandalously enough five years older. Family and the community in this little town were two of most important things to her in the world; combining these two and it would be a dream come true! Her own troublesome daughter dating a respectable Lockwood. I couldn't help but shiver at the thought. It wasn't that I had anything against Mason, but the rest of his family just gave me the creeps._

 _Also, even though a fear of being laughed at or receiving disapproving looks from the Founding families made me want to crawl out of my skin,_ actually _being part of the community made me feel even sicker. Believe it or not, I actually_ enjoyed _being the rebel who knew all of the officers by their first name, as well as what went on with their families and kids in school, since I'd spent more time at the station than at home. The role truly suited me perfectly._

 _The only reason I was coming out of that comfort zone tonight was for Mom. She deserved to feel like a part of this, even if her daughter was a troublesome bitch. I was doing it for Mom, and for Mom alone. With that mantra ringing in my ears, I took a deep breath and squeezed Mason's hands back._

" _Let's do this thing," I said with a determined nod._


	24. Save Me From Myself

It was odd being back in the very same room from exactly six years ago, this time curling my sister's hair instead of telling her nine year old self to calm down and stop running around. Well, I _was_ actually still instructing her to relax, but for a completely different reason this time. It was her time to do the dreaded deed.

I had done my best to prepare her for this, but I hadn't been a _winning_ candidate back in my day; so what advice did I really have give? Honestly, Elena probably only asked me to help her to relieve some of the tension between us.

Over the course of me bracing Elena, I had been given _plenty_ of opportunities to express my frustration towards her; taking them all to rant at her until I felt emptied. Plus side: there had been no awkward silence. Downside: our relationship was _far_ from fixed. If there was something I had a hard time forgiving, then it was when someone kept me in the dark or lied. Meaning that Elena and I had a _long_ way left to go. But I was mature enough to put our quarrel aside, at least for a couple of days.

"Thank you for this." Elena smiled at me through the mirror. Letting a strand of her hair release from the curling iron, I felt its warmth in my hand as I allowed it to cool before easing it to fall.

"Of course. You're my sister," I stated and moved on to the next piece of hair, wanting to finish the style as soon as possible. This whole event was giving me the creeps, re-experiencing old memories were never fun.

"You okay?" Elena's forehead was creased with concern.

"Shouldn't _I_ be asking _you_ that?" I replied with a teasing gleam in my eyes.

" _I'm_ not the one who looks as if they're going to barf," Elena pointed out.

"It's nothing." I finished the very last curl and reached for the hairspray on the white table, efficiently avoiding Elena's persistent gaze and her raised brow in the process. "Big day, that's all." She _finally_ dropped the matter with a sigh, returning to looking quite nervous herself.

"I remember when Mom and I were first applying for this, she was so excited." Elena's gaze grew distant, peering back in time at the memory.

"Yeah, she had that tendency." I sprayed my sister's hair and broke her out of her trance. "But you were pretty psyched about it too, if I recall." Elena waved off the vapors whilst coughing into the bend of her arm.

"I was." She finally breathed normally. "Mom just made it sound like so much fun. Lots has changed since then." _True._ Elena exhaled heavily as she applied some shiny lip gloss with her finger.

"I'm sorry to say that it's a little too late to back out now." I squeezed her shoulder lovingly and offered an apologetically smile through the mirror.

"It's not that. I just… I think I'd be enjoying it a lot more if she was here," Elena sighed, picking a little at her cuticles.

"I did your hair better than she ever could've," I had to brag, earning a weak smile. "Stop that!" I slapped Elena's hand lightly. "You're gonna ruin the nail polish."

"Sorry," she replied with a roll of her eyes. "Okay, I should go put my dress on. Be careful with that thing, don't hurt anybody," Elena joked, pointing at the hot curling iron on the table.

"Little old _me? Hurting_ someone?" I gaped at her outrageous statement with a hand on my chest, which was clad in a black pantsuit with short, lace sleeves. "Hurt _who_ for instance?"

Chuckling, Elena had barely even left the room when a rush of air made the hairs on my arms stand up. Reaching for my white blazer hanging over a fancy chair, I scouted the room for the cause of the breeze. Instead of seeing an open window as I had suspected, a dark-haired figure dressed in a drop-dead gorgeous suit stared back at me.

"We need to talk," Damon stated, for once without his signature smirk. _Uh-oh._

"I've got to…" I waved off into the air vaguely. Damon advanced on me, stopping a little _too_ close. As his breath hit me, my skin began to tingle. What the...? His grip around my arm sent a shiver through my body and the goosebumps forming were a fact.

"I'm serious."

"Hi, _serious_ , I'm Parker." My joke came out weak, since the storm occurring inside of me made it impossible to keep up a good front. Cracks were beginning to show, and I begged for Damon not to notice.

It seemed to be my lucky day, considering how Damon only firmly steered me out of the room. Still, I _hated_ when he did that! But my body was too occupied with processing the tingling sensation that Damon's hand on my arm had created, enjoying it too much to get myself to take command and rip myself free from his grip.

We stopped at one of the rooms that had been prepared for the contestants to change in. A blonde girl exited, knocking us apart before she hurried down the hallway. Frowning, my gaze followed her, recognizing her shoulders stiff from panic. I remembered _that_ feeling. Damon's hand grabbed mine and pulled me into the room along with him. _Why_ was he being so eager with the touching today? Wait, I _did_ know. It was probably connected to how we last parted.

As soon as we'd entered, Elena spun to face us. "Hey, you guys can't be back here," she protested with her blue dress in her hands. Her gaze went down to my hand, still entwined with Damon's, which made me do the same. Slowly, the grip eased and Damon's fingers lightly stroked over my palm and wrist, sending shivers up my arm, before leaving completely. Forcefully, I pried my gaze from my now cold hand to meet Damon's, catching him in the act of also staring at our recently connected fingers.

"He says it's important," I directed towards Elena, not taking my eyes off of Damon for as much as a second.

"Does it have to be _right_ now?" Elena sighed and held up her dress.

"Normally I would have a _completely_ different outlook of what I'm about to say, but since it could really inconvenience me, I'll… squeal," Damon spoke, glancing at Elena whilst stroking his black suit coat in place.

"What are you talking about?" Elena questioned with a frown, her gaze fluttering over to me for an explanation. I shrugged ever so lightly as an answer. I was just as lost as she was here. What was Damon talking about?

"Stefan's still drinking human blood," the answer came out in the most serious tone I had heard the Salvatore use. _Ever._

"What?" Elena breathed out. Her chin dropped, and her eyes going round. "He said that he'd stopped…" Elena's eyes flickered over to me as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Yeah. A month ago I would have rejoiced," Damon admitted with a light shrug, "but with the council back on the alert, it is _not_ a good time for Stefan to fly off the handle."

"I know he's been a little edgy, but he said that was normal," Elena tried.

"He has a _fridge_ full of stolen blood bank contraband in the house," Damon knocked down her weak attempt at defending Stefan. Seeing Elena's knees begin to shake, I moved to lead her to a nearby brown, satin sofa before she collapsed on the floor.

"Oh my god," was all that managed to escape my sister's lips as she stared into the oak floor.

Carefully, I took her dress from her, returning it to its place hanging on one of the mirrors. The _last_ thing needed right now was Carol Lockwood scolding Elena for wrinkling her gown. As I smoothed out its silky surface, I felt a tingling sensation at the back of my neck. Swiveling around on my thin high heel revealed Damon staring right at me, not even seeming bothered that Elena was still in the room. Although I doubted she even noticed the intense look, being too occupied with processing the new information concerning Stefan. Once again, I had to force my gaze away from Damon's; once again leading to him paying attention to Elena.

"Stefan has no idea what normal is, his entire existence isn't normal. Normal to a vampire is drinking human blood, but he spent all this time _fighting_ it when he should have been learning to _control_ it. And now it's controlling him instead."

"I–I can't believe this. I mean, it's _Stefan_ that we're talking about here." Elena's off-placed smile showed just how much in shock she remained in.

"Stefan on human blood, Elena. He'll do anything, he'll say anything because he's not gonna want to stop. _Trust me_." My sister inhaled deeply and buried her face in her hands. I moved to place a hand on her shoulder, but as I was inches away from doing so she shot up and instead began pacing around the room. Like she always did that when freaking out.

"Ele–" I tried grabbing her shoulder again.

"This is all my fault! I'm the one who fed him the blood in the first place." Elena pushed my hands away and stared back with increasing panic in her gaze.

"Listen to me–" I began, but was once again caught off. This was _so_ not my day.

"What's going on in here?" Stefan asked, suddenly appearing in the snow-white doorway behind me.

" _You_ ," I seethed from teeth gritted, having Stefan wince. How _dare_ he put my sister in danger! Bloodaholic brain or not, Stefan would _pay_ for this.

"I was just filling in Elena and Parker on your extracurricular activities," Damon quickly interrupted, his back turned to me as he faced his brother.

A charged silence settled. When I turned to Stefan, ready to beat some sense into him, Damon's arm shot out to stop me. It was then that I managed to identify the oddness in Damon's behavior; he was scared. Okay, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but he was _definitely_ on his guard. Ready for any kind of change in Stefan's facade. Personally, I hadn't met Stefan since this whole bloody thing begun, but I now noticed the change in him. There was something… _off_ about him _._

"What are you talking about?" Stefan shook his head in a stiff manner.

"I know about the blood, Stefan," Elena said with surprising force, considering she had been freaking out only seconds ago.

"I'm, uh, I'll be downstairs, drinking," Damon excused. When he noticed that I wasn't budging from my place as a protective shield in front of my sister, he cleared his throat. "Parker, join me?" All I saw was Stefan, a burning fury racing through my blood, numbing my thoughts.

"It's okay, Parks," Elena reassured with a hand on my arm, breaking me out of my daze. "Go. I got this."

The seconds ticked by without me moving, only staring at Stefan, until a glance at Damon made me realize that he was close to _carrying_ me out. Since I didn't feel like reliving being thrown over his shoulder again, I willed my tense shoulders to relax..

" _Fine,_ " I spoke in a cold tone. "But this isn't over," I added for Stefan when I brushed past him. He hadn't exactly been my favorite person before, but this made him sink to the bottom of my list in the blink of an eye.

With the door slamming shut behind us, I gnashed my teeth, continuing to do so all the way downstairs until I reached one of the waiters carrying high, fancy glasses filled with champagne on a silver tray. Grabbing one on the go, I gulped it down.

"Do you–" Damon began.

"Wanna talk about it? Hell no. Want another glass of this?" I held up the empty glass. "Yes, please."

After a short nod, it only took Damon a moment to he return with two more glasses of the sparkling liquid.

"I'm afraid Carol isn't serving anything else," he deplored, as if reading my mind currently debating if there, by any chance, could be any vodka at this kind of event.

"I feared so." I accepted the glass with a thankful nod, trying not to swig it all down at once this time. Instead, I sipped on the liquor like the respectable lady I seemed to be in my long pantsuit. From my convenient corner of the room I observed the mingling women, all wearing short dresses. Were they crazy? It was absolutely _freezing_ outside! I'd gone with long pants swaying around my ankles for a reason.

My eyes proceeding to rake over the crowd, there didn't seem to be anything interesting occurring yet, except for my uncle zigzagging his way through the room. Quickly, I turned my back to him to instead face Damon, having _no_ patience left for John.

"Everyone's favorite person, I see." Damon's gaze followed John's path over my head.

"The definition of a _douche_ ," I sighed, then frowned. "Has he done something else?"

"Besides coming back from the dead and making threats? Yes, actually." Damon's eyes left the crowd to land on me. "He's after some invention from 1864. Thinks one of the tomb vampires have it." Damon exhaled roughly, an action sprinkled with something that I couldn't place as annoyance or frustration. Maybe both.

"Which one?"

"Her name's Pearl."

"Anna's mother?" I couldn't stop the question from jumping out.

"Yeah." Damon's turn to frown. "How did you know that?" _Oh boy…_

"Aherm, well. I _might_ have had a little run in with the two and made some threats," I spoke carefully, angling my front towards the crowd to escape Damon as I let my index finger slide around the top of my now empty glass.

"When?" There was no anger left in Damon's voice, more like a pinch of amusement, and maybe even something that could have been him being impressed.

"Happened at the Grill a while back. It's not that important," I waved off, before crossing my arms.

"What happened?" Damon insisted on knowing.

"They were there, I was in a mood and threatened to stake Anna if they didn't leave." Silence from Damon's part. "Jeremy was involved, so you know, sisterly duty."

"You never cease to amaze, do you?" The first smirk during this entire afternoon unfolded before me.

"What would be the fun in that?" I turned away towards the crowd to hide the wry smile that refused to be suppressed. Damon's mere _presence_ beside me affected me in a way that I didn't like one bit. His gaze sent shudders through my body, and I even found it a bit hard to breath from time to time. What was this shit? I felt like a hormonal teenager! A _guy_ had _never_ made me feel like this before! And I didn't even like this one that much! Most of the time he was an annoying dick. What the heck? Only _one_ previous 'flame' was comparable to these involuntary tingles, but that business had been long ago and couldn't have ended much worse.

"Hey." A light graze of my blazer clad elbow broke me out of another painful memory, and the pleasant shivers were nearly _welcomed_.

"Hmm?"

"It's starting." Damon nodded towards Mayor Lockwood, standing with some cue cards in his hand next to the broad, turning staircase that ascended to the floor above where the contestants had been cooped up all day.

Naturally, my arm hooked with Damon's as we moved to stand and be part of the gathered crowd, all eager to _finally_ see the show begin. I regretted this action however, since Damon didn't let go of my arm as we stopped, its presence remaining _extremely_ distracting.

To distract myself, I tried recalling the anxiety I'd felt coursing through my body when I had stood at the top of that stair years ago. Thankfully, I'd then been one hundred percent sure that my loyal escort would meet me when I descended. The same couldn't be said for my sister at the moment.

Elena was, of course, the last to walk down the light, wooden steps of the decorated staircase. Tumblr worthy twinkling lights had been hung on the black railing on top of soft, thin, white fabrics.

As my sister made her way down the steps, I leaned forward to spy for Stefan at the base of the staircase, only to notice the empty spot. _Shit._ My elbow nudged Damon's ribs to alert him of my discovery. However, Elena's name had already been called and there was no going back now. Refusing to let her be humiliated by being stood up – knowing the fear I'd had all those years ago – a silent conversation was exchanged between me and Damon whilst Elena slowly and graceful drew near the end of the staircase. Nodding, I released my arm from Damon's grip to let him walk and take Stefan's place; best last second plan there was.

Elena's panic changed to worry when Damon smoothly slid to take his brother's place of acting as an escort. Her gaze traveled to me with a silent question as she and Damon, hand in hand, walked past me towards the stone courtyard where the traditional dance was to take place.

Like a shadow, I followed them by zigzagging my way through the crowd; silent and undetected. Neither Jenna nor Alaric noticed me when I settled on a place diagonally behind them.

"What is she doing with Damon?" Jenna leaned to whisper to Alaric.

"I have _no_ idea," was the baffled response. Clearly, the attention from the grown-ups on the youth these days was just top-notch! Ignoring the pair, I turned to watch as Elena and Damon joined the row of contestants and their escort lined up.

As the dance began, with a near touching I remembered having driven me crazy during both practice and the actual performance, something odd settled into the pit of my stomach. As if a nibble of discomfort. When they stepped forward to place hands on waist and shoulders, that light gnawing turned into a full bite being taken of my insides.

I couldn't watch this.

Tearing my eyes from the elegant yet intimate dance, I backed away to fade into the crowd, away from Damon's and Elena's eyes searching. Making my escape as I struggled to breathe normally, I hurried towards the parking lot. With my heart beating up in my throat, it created a sensation similar to as if it was about to burst out of me in a cascade of vomit.

Once I was out of the house and the music had faded to silence behind me, I stopped by a dark blue car and sank to the asphalted road. Burying my head in my hands, I forced deep inhales and exhales, my beating heart gradually beginning to calm down.

What was _this?_ Jealousy? Of what? A guy who acted like a dick ninety percent of the time, and my little sister? _Really?_ Get it together, woman!

Since I couldn't run in my high, black pumps, which was what I _definitely_ needed right now, instead I was forced to simply walk around the swirling, small routes with cars parked along the sides. Until, finally, I could think about the dance without wanting to _gut_ someone. By that time, the sun had settled and the chilly, night air had floated in over the area, along with Mystic Falls typical smog.

Stopping, I pressed my palms against a silver car, watching my steaming breath release more and more clouds to join with the misty air.

The noise reached me before I saw them; heaving, panting breaths of pure panic.

Just a few cars away, Stefan and the young blonde who had stormed out of the changing room earlier, stood across from each other. Well, _standing_ might be pushing it. Stefan was pacing, much like Elena had done earlier, whilst the blonde pressed her hand against her neck with her back supported by a car. I couldn't catch much from this distance, but I _was_ close enough the see the thick, dark substance on her hand as she withdrew her palm to show it to Stefan. _Blood._

For fuck's sake, Stefan.

Biting into my cheek to prevent the annoyed grunt from coming out, I silenced all my curses.

Stefan took a step closer, to hold the girl by her neck in a firm grip as he seemed hypnotized by her blood. Clearly, he wasn't finished yet.

 _So!_ A 164 year old vampire and a mere 23 year old human on a dark road with a bleeding girl. My odds aren't looking so good, one might say. Except, _this_ 23 year old had some tricks up her sleeve. Or more correctly, up her _pants_!

Hang on. _That_ came out wrong. The general meaning was that my pant legs were wide enough for me to be able to strap some carefully chosen objects to my calves without anyone noticing. Like my precious nifty darts with concentrated vervain, for instants.

I reached down to lift the wide fabric from my leg, releasing a dart from its strapping against my skin. Slowly, I moved closer to the pair standing in the shadows. Taking one look at the girl, I reached down again to remove _another_ dart, filled with a _completely_ different liquid. _There_. Now I was ready.

"Listen to me, Amber. I need you to be afraid of me," I heard Stefan say. "I need you to run like hell do you understand me? Run. Run now!"

The blonde, Amber, began panting and turned to follow Stefan's wish immediately, running like a lunatic right towards me. _Perfect_. I grabbed her and shoved my second dart into her neck, lowering her limp body down onto the leafy ground to ease her fall. Stefan, having noticed that his terrified victim had become silent, turned around to face me. His eyes flickered to Amber's body, her blonde hair and white t-shirt speckled with thick blood.

"Parker?" Stefan asked in confusion, not able to take his eyes off the blood.

"I'm gonna give you _one_ last chance, Stefan," I spoke slowly and stepped over the unconscious girl to move closer. "Leave her be," I motioned back with my free hand, "and I'll know that I can trust you around Elena. Don't, and I'll take you out." Stefan could barely hear my words, red veins were playing under his eyes. He wasn't going to be able to resist; but I was prepared.

As he flashed towards the girl, he had to pass me, and I lunged at the vague shape of him with the concentrated vervain dart in my hand. Stefan gasped in surprise – or pain? – grabbing me roughly by the shoulders as I jabbed the dart into his throat, but his grip eased just as fast when the vervain began to take affect.

"I'm sorry, Stefan," I sighed. With a final gasp, he fell limp to the ground, and I quickly went to release another vervain dart from my leg, jabbing it into his neck as an extra reassurance. There.

As I dialed Elena's number, I checked my white blazer for bloodstains. Thankfully, it seemed to be in the clear.

"Parker! Where the hell are you?" Elena's voice called through the phone. Her loud hissing nearly made me go deaf, forcing me to hold the mobile a good few inches from my ear.

"Calm down," I hushed her. "Get Damon and go outside." I looked down at the two unconscious bodies on the ground. "I've taken care of something."

Elena must have feared that 'taken care of' meant the opposite of good, because within a few minutes she rushed out from the mansion with Damon on her heels. He lifted his head as if to sniff into the air, before turning towards my location in the shaded part of the lot. Elena followed and ran up to me.

"Are you oka–" she began, before her gaze flickered past me. "STEFAN!" Elena crouched down next to her stunned boyfriend to lightly stroke his cheek, retrieving her hand when she noticed the blood around his mouth. "Oh my god! What happened?" Her gaze flew up to me, but I was busy instructing Damon.

"She's out at the moment, but when she wakes up–"

"I'll take care of it, she won't remember anything," Damon reassured.

"Good." I threw a glance Amber's way. "Wrong place at the wrong time," I sighed. What would have happened if I hadn't shown up in time? Would she even be alive then? Not that I particularly cared about the girl, but this reminded me too much about my own first encounter with a vampire. Coincidental circumstances decided our fate in the most unfair ways.

"Nice aim," Damon commented.

"Thanks," I replied with a smirk. "You should remember not to piss me off." I cocked my head to the side with a still teasing little smile playing on my face.

"Like I'll ever forget after this," Damon scoffed, nodding towards the bodies.

We both mirrored the other's smirk, a pretty weird thing to do considering the situation, but I didn't really care. One less dead girl to worry about and one less murderous vampire that ran around freely. I even felt sort of victorious. Damon's hand moved to tuck a strand of hair that had escaped my dutch braid behind my ear, and I shuddered at his light grace of my cheek. But I didn't draw back.

And I could have stayed in that position for much longer, hadn't an inconvenient Bonnie decided to show up. She took one look at the bloody Amber, Elena looking troubled besides the unconscious Stefan, before deciding that this whole thing was somehow _Damon's_ fault. He collapsed as she directed all her juju magic, probably mixed with a good part of anger and resentment, towards Damon's _kind of_ innocent head.

"What the hell, Bonnie!" I exclaimed. "Wrong Salvatore! You're too late, I got it covered." Her glower landed on me, and I almost wanted to step back, worried to receive the same blinding pain as Damon was grunting on the ground because of.

"Bonnie, stop!" Elena called, and her friend finally obeyed. _Hey!_ Unfair!

Glaring at Bonnie, I squatted down next to Damon to place a hand to his shoulder. "You okay?" He nodded. "We should probably clean this up. Before he wakes up." I cocked my head back towards Stefan, receiving another confirming nod from Damon.

After helping him to his feet, I went to Elena's side. A bit reluctantly, she abandoned Stefan to rise and look at me.

"Thank you," she said, her eyes luminous from the light the mansion cast. "For not letting him kill anyone."

At first, I didn't answer, only stared at my sister looking at the vampire with devotion. She'd given his heart to Stefan, and it scared me more than I'd like to admit.

"Just…" I began, drawing her attention back to me. With a sigh, I went on. "Lock him up, Elena. He can't be trusted free right now. Lock him up, or I will do it for you."

With that, I left the group, feeling I'd done my bit for the night.

Of course, there was still the whole downside of not owning a car, since I was stuck without a ride home with my only allies having bigger problems to worry about. Considering finding Jenna, I argued against it as I realized she'd probably be going back with Alaric. The last thing I wanted was riding home with those two lovebirds. Instead, I found myself approaching John – _John!_ – of all people.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Parker."

Clearly, it was a bad idea.

"The party was an important milestone in celebrating this town's heritage." I scoffed. John ignored it. "As a member of a founding family, you were expected to be there. Making up excuses for you was the last thing I felt like doing."

"Well, I came _tonight_ didn't I?" I huffed, looking out the side window instead of having to spot him in my peripheral vision. "I'm sure my impression will be memorable enough to forget any other inconveniences."

"By that you mean emptying all the champagne glasses you could get your hands on? Yeah, that was quite an impression to make."

"Shut up, John." He didn't.

Finally, once home, I got to slam the car door in his face, flashing him the finger as he kept declaring his disappointment even as I made my way inside the apartment building.

Once shutting the door behind me, I also shut the events from the night out of my mind, as I slumped down on my couch, not even bothering to change or take off my makeup. Even if I felt tired to the bone, I had a feeling that the approaching days were going to be much worse. Meaning, I needed all the sleep I could get.


	25. Dreaded Day

I stared at the heart shaped box of chocolates in my hand with disgust.

If there was one day I hated more than any other, then it was without a doubt the 14th of February. It was just such a _sucky_ day! No pun intended.

Barely even taking two steps into the grocery store, I was _already_ being smothered by pink, stuffed teddy bears, red roses and heart-shaped boxes containing a variety of chocolate _everywhere_ I turned. It was ridiculous! Tossing aside the box I'd been holding with a huff, I moved to try and find something non-pink and non-related to this so-called 'holiday'.

It was a bigger challenge than I'd thought.

"Have you heard about the two for one discount?" the cashier asked me in a nasal voice, drawing in a loud sniffling before wiping their nose with the the sleeve of the store's mandatory shirt. "Valentine's day special only."

I simply bared my teeth, slamming my money onto the counter. The sniffle after that wasn't from any cold.

Ultimately, I managed to leave that store with nothing more pink than the apples I'd bought.

With my arms full of bags with groceries, I knocked my front door open with my hip. Really, I needed to invest in some proper bags with handles rather than this ' _carry as if embracing'_ bullshit.

Dragging the door close using my foot, I noted the lights were all out in my entire apartment. Odd. But what was even more strange were the closed blinds; I could've _sworn_ they were open when I left. Well, whoever had dropped by to visit me today would regret it. I slammed the paper bags down on the kitchen counter, gnashing my teeth as I walked further into my apartment. If this was Damon doing some–

"SURPRISE!"

I jumped when the serpentines popped, the light switching on to reveal glitter coating the floor. Colorful party hats, an enormous cake and a small pile of wrapped gifts had been laid out on my dark brown coffee table. Slowly, I turned to face the grinning crowd in my living room. It consisted of Jenna, Jeremy, John and even Elena – who had surely sacrificed watching over the recovering Stefan to show up.

"What's this supposed to mean?" I demanded.

One would think my family would be upset at my ungrateful attitude directed towards their little surprise party, but they all knew that this was _far_ from my favorite day of the year. Which was why the entire little bunch just kept on grinning; even John. What was _he_ even doing here, anyway? A look from Jenna told me to roll with it, meaning that he had forcefully invited himself. _Of course._

"Open this one now." Jenna handed me a squarish box wrapped in red paper, embraced by a golden ribbon. Accepting it, I played along as I knew she wanted and shook the package carefully in an attempt to figure out its content.

Until now, the gifts had been pretty sucky; a new frying pan from John; a gift card to some small store whose name I had never heard of from Jeremy; and a book from Elena. Not _super_ bad, but still pretty basic; nothing that I didn't already own. Nothing I really needed. But Jenna, on the other hand, had a knack for buying _awesome_ presents. Which was why I was actually pretty excited for hers.

"Happy birthday, Parks." She grinned and nodded for me to unwrap the gift.

Beginning with ripping off the golden cord, I let the paper fly and add to the mess I'd created where I sat on the floor. An unassuming brown box was underneath the layer of christmas red wrapping paper, still no clue giving away to what could possibly be inside. Slowly, I opened the lid whilst keeping careful watch on Jenna's expression; it seemed as if she was about to burst at any given moment. I peered inside, and dropped my chin. _No. Way._

"Are you serious?" I questioned in disbelief. Jenna nodded excitedly, just as I lifted the camera from the box, observing it in amazement.

"I figured it was about damn time for you to take that up again," Jenna explained proudly. "It's been ages. And I know how much you used to love it."

"You're right," I breathed out, speechless when carefully turning the camera to memorize every detail. It was a black SLR camera with _endless_ possibilities, more and more settings discovered the longer I twisted and turned it, allowing my fingers to gently run over every curve.

"So, 24 now, huh?" John broke the silence with. "Welcome to the older generation!" I glared at him, together with everyone else at the table. But after that the conversation at least continued smoothly whilst I was free to admire the camera undisturbed.

Everyone were a bit distracted, I with the camera, Elena biting her nails while worrying about Stefan, Jeremy texting someone with a goofy lovesick smile on his face, whilst Jenna and John argued about selling the building where Dad's old medical practise laid; my aunt being for and my uncle firmly against it. In other words, a typical family night.

Once the cake was finished and the plates held nothing but crumbs, the small crowd drifted apart to achieve their own agendas. But I certainly didn't complain. John was a douche as always, Jeremy absent and Elena only had one person occupying her thoughts. However, Jenna stayed; but with an ulterior motive.

"So how's the love life going?" She slumped down on the couch next to me with a knowing grin.

"Can we _please_ talk about something else?" I grunted and dragged a hand through my hair, which was all over the place as per usual. Apart from the unattended bird's nest, I'd probably scowled in all the pictures Elena had insisted to snap of us during the evening, using her phone. If I received a notification from her having published one…

"Why?" Jenna coaxed. "Don't you wanna share your deepest, darkest secrets with me?"

" _Ha, ha_. I'd _rather_ have my life passing the Bechdel Test _,_ thank you very much."

"Come on!" Jenna said, being extra persistent.

"Does this have something to do with a certain history teacher?" I inquired, attempting to steer the conversation another way.

"Don't do that." Jenna noticed my maneuver. "Yeah, I'm happy with what I might have going on with him, and I'd like it if my dear niece would experience the same thing. And timely enough, there so just _happens_ to be walking around a very hot Salvatore brother in town."

Appalled, I gaped. "Are you saying that you want me to break Elena and Stefan up? That's outrageous, Jenna! Favoring between your nieces much?"

A dark greyish blue pillow was jammed into my face. "You know which brother I'm talking about!"

"Okay, okay!" I laughed whilst rolling off the couch to escape Jenna's attacks. Where I remained to lay on my back on the thick carpet, I stared up at the ceiling silently. Until a strawberry blonde head popped into my view, gazing down at me from the couch.

" _Spill_."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied innocently.

"Nice try. I saw you two at the Miss Mystic event, seeming _awfully_ cozy."

"You're reading too much into it."

"Am I?" Jenna raised a cocky brow. With a sharp sigh, I brought my hands to cover my face.

"Let me come to terms with any potential feelings on my own, if you'd be so kind," I spoke, my voice muffled through my palms.

"Fine. But I'm just saying that it would be fun to double-date."

I withdrew my hands. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope," Jenna stated. "I'm sensing a bromance blooming between the two."

"Damon and Alaric?" I asked, doubtfully. Jenna nodded. But she didn't know the story about the Salvatore killing and turning Ric's wife into a vampire; I doubted there was any hope of a potential friendship there. "There's no such thing as a bromance. It's just a codeword for gay."

"You watch too many tv-series," Jenna sighed with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm not hearing you denying it," I pointed out.

From there on we continued to discuss the term until the sky was dark and Jenna's phone revealed to have more missed calls than mine.

"Show-off," I muttered whilst Jenna grabbed her jacket as she flipped through the calls with an easy stroke of her finger over the screen.

"When are you gonna buy a new phone?" she asked when she noticed my, to say the least, _jealous_ look directed at her touch screen.

I shrugged. "Would have been a good birthday present."

"I'll give the hint to Elena and Jeremy for next year," Jenna assured with a wink, before pulling me in for a hug. "Remember, you're not getting any younger. Take the opportunities that presents themselves and do whatever you want." I frowned in her arms. Was she referring to Damon? When we withdrew from the embrace, Jenna added, "Or do _whoever_ you want," with a wink. _Yep._ Definitely referring to Damon.

" _Good night_ , Jenna," I said with a sigh.

"Take my advice, Parks," my aunt answered and placed a hand on my head, wiggling it around as if to forcefully press in her statement. "You won't regret it." I only shook my head at her weird persistence. As she left, she raised her strawberry blonde brows as if to bang in her message one last time.

* * *

"Don't drink it all at once, sweetheart."

"Thanks for the concern."

As any birthday, I found myself at a bar with a bottle in my hand at the end of the day. Raising my drink to the girl tending to the Grill for the night – Kara, I recalled her name might have been – she left me to drown my misery with a tired shake of her head.

No matter the late hour, or where I found myself, at every year of my birthday, pink decorations blinded my eyes. Really, I should've known Bella wouldn't have been able to resist bringing in the cash from the local couples here, advertising with special prices and dishes.

A little to my right, beyond the end of the counter, a pink balloon swayed in the faint wind from someone opening the door. Paying no mind to it, I tilted my head back to get a good swig from the alcohol, hissing pleased as I sat the bottle back down.

"Wow. Should I be worried?"

With squinted eyes, I looked the figure seating himself to my left up and down. I took another gulp from the bottle.

"Are you capable of such?" I asked, raising my brows.

"You really are bitter," Damon chuckled, eyeing my demeanour shamelessly. "What's got you in such a mood?" He tried catching Kara's eye, but she seemed firmly inclined to lay all her attention on a brunette with long legs seated at the other end of the bar. Without a word, I offered my bottle for him.

"It's not bourbon, but I think you'll live."

"So generous," Damon commented, a gleam to his eyes as he took a sip. Right after, his face twisted into a grimace. "How can you like this?"

"Don't be such a baby." I snatched the bottle back, cradling it in my hands. As I stared at its label, I felt Damon stare at me.

"Okay, who stole your lunch money? You look absolutely broken," he stated. Absently, I fingered on the strand of the swaying pink balloon, whilst my thoughts were somewhere else entirely; damning Jenna's words from earlier tonight.

"Do you ever get tired of pretending?" I asked, not meeting his gaze. Still, I felt Damon tense, then stir a little in his seat.

"What do you mean?"

"Get tired of all the games and empty jokes? 'Cause I know I do. So fucking tired."

"Parker?" Damon checked, his confusion evident as I turned to look at him, releasing my hold of the bottle.

"Tired of thinking and planning and scheming." I stared at his lips. The sensual curve of the upper lip, the very faint coating of stubble above. "Don't you ever just…" Slowly but steadily, I raised my gaze to his eyes, the intensity staring back at me almost stealing my breath. "Just… wanna let go?"

Damon swallowed. It wasn't loud, but I saw it. Saw his throat bob. It was the only answer I needed.

With disregard of the bottle, I instead moved forward and cupped my hands around his face, firmly planting my lips to his. The response, the parting, was immediate. Before I knew it, his hands were on my waist, pulling me closer. Closer, closer, closer.

Just for a second, I had to break free, catch some air as my whole head felt light enough to soar away; leaving my body and its urges all to themselves.

"You remember the way?" I asked, breathing heavily against his face.

And just like that night, when he'd carried me home from the bar, his arms were around me. There was a rush of air, before my back slammed into the wall outside my door. I had only taken in my new surroundings for about the split of a second, when his lips found mine again. This time, they didn't part so soon.

As his hands slid up and down my back, tugging at my shirt, mine did the same to his. They found a hem, lifting it to then come across smooth skin and hard muscles. Damon drew in a sharp breath, releasing my lips for a moment. It was just enough time for me to push us off the wall, crashing the door open, to then be pinned to the wall inside of my apartment.

Boxed in by his arms, I stared at him as he stared back at me, both breathing heavily. Damon's gaze dropped from my eyes to my lips, then slowly drifted towards my neck, bare and exposed by my hair having been ruffled aside. With a firm grip of his chin, I pried his eyes away and back up to mine.

"Bite me," I began, hardening my grip a tad, "and you're _dead_."

A sideways smirk slowly unfolded on Damon's face, as he raised a brow. "How about a little nibbling?"

I only growled, before our lips crashed together again. The kisses were hungry, as if we were running out of time and couldn't get enough of each other. There wasn't enough time in the world for my hands, quickly raking over every part of his back and neck and head and stomach I could touch, to be satisfied. Not when I was losing foothold with what his touch did to me.

Kisses traced along my jawline; my fingers dug into his back. My hands getting inside his shirt again; Damon breathed sharply, releasing noises I could never have imagined coming from him. Begging for more.

There was no disappointment.

His lips carried on down my neck and along my collarbone, teasing across my chest. I couldn't wait any longer. With a quick motion, I helped yank his shirt over his head, and soon followed mine. As I got access to his bare back, I barely had any time at all to take advantage before Damon's hands found the hollow of my knees and lifted me up with ease. I wrapped my legs around his torso, as we left the wall to meet the bed.

The mattress shifted and groaned beneath the weight of the two bodies, but no mind was payed to it. Instead, the kisses grew deeper and slower, as taunting as the wandering hands stroking up shudders everywhere they went.

My whole body quivered, everything else despite the body and lips and heartbeat against mine withering away, until nothing else mattered. Nothing but the last clothes flying; the last space being eliminated; the last gasps turning into moans.

Nothing, but this moment.


	26. A Peek Into The Madness

_The damp grass was cold beneath my bare feet, causing me to shiver and wrap the over-sized shirt tighter around my body. Surveying the area around me, I noticed tall trees and heard the sound of soft, clucking waves down by a small string of grassy shore. A gazebo stood in the center of the image before me, its details remaining sharpened whilst the outskirts of the site were more blurry._

 _However, among the details that laid out in front of me, it wasn't the gray, shady light caused by the cloudy night that caught my attention, but rather the man sitting in the old gazebo, staring out empty into nothing with a surrendered posture. Even with his back turned to me, I recognized him with ease._

Damon _._

 _But he was unlike the Damon I knew, this one wearing an old-looking, striped shirt under a brown vest with his hair in a longer style, some curls beginning to form by his neck and ears. He turned around in his seat to spy in my direction, giving me a clear view of his face. He looked younger somehow, more innocent._

 _At first, I thought he was looking right at me, but then I heard two sets of footsteps approaching from behind. I twirled to see Stefan nearing with a girl wearing a big dress that revealed the time period, if Damon's clothes hadn't done it already; somewhere around the 1800s, if my history served me right._ What the hell was going on here?

" _What are you doing?" Damon asked in a weak voice. "Who is that?" His gaze fleetingly traveled over the girl._

" _I brought her for you. She is a gift," Stefan responded. Somehow he reminded me of the bloodlusting Stefan I had recently met, far from the one who Elena had presented me to at the dinner with Bonnie so very long ago. "Have a seat, please," Stefan told the girl whilst looking her straight in the eye, motioning for her to sit down in front of Damon._

 _The older brother's gaze travelled between the obedient girl and his brother, putting the pieces together. "What have you done, Stefan?"_

" _Damon, I've been to see father. He came at me. I didn't know my own strength. There was blood everywhere. He was dying, and the blood was too strong. I needed it. I had to have it," Stefan explained, still acting strange._

" _You fed," Damon stated._

" _Yes. And it's incredible. My body is exploding with power, Damon," Stefan exclaimed._

" _No," Damon sighed and shook his head tiredly._

" _I can hear things from far away. I can see through the darkness. I can move, like it's magic!" Stefan made grand gestures with his arms while he spoke, overwhelmed by his sudden new power. He moved closer to his brother, continuing in the same worked up tone. "And the guilt, the pain… Damon, I can turn it off. Like a switch. Katherine was right. It's a whole other world out there, Damon."_

 _The older Salvatore rose up on unsteady legs, attempting to escape his brother's urging tone. "Katherine is dead, Stefan. There's no world without her," he stated._

" _No. You can turn that off, too," Stefan said and grabbed his brother by the neck, forcing him to look at him. "You don't have to feel that pain anymore."_

" _I don't want it." Damon tried to shove Stefan's hands away, but in his feeble state it was to no use._

" _You're weak. You'll be dead soon. You need this," Stefan urged his brother, forcing in his words by shaking Damon's head in his hands._

" _No," Damon let out._

" _You'll die," Stefan pleaded._

" _No. I can't," Damon's strained voice breathed out; if it was like that due to Stefan's hard grip or Damon simply being close to tears, I couldn't tell._

" _Please." Stefan reached out his hand for the girl, and she stood up to step towards him. The blonde Salvatore turned to show his fangs and the red veins playing under his dark eyes, before biting into her neck. Like Damon, I stared at him, gaping. "I won't let you die," Stefan said as he withdrew his hand from the girl, to grab Damon by his chin._

" _No. I can't," Damon protested._

" _Don't fight it. We can do this…_ together _," Stefan spoke urgently, his tone confident tone. Nodding at his brother, he stepped back and gently pushed the girl towards Damon._

 _The struggling finally stopped as Damon saw the two small dots of blood, left there by Stefan's precise fangs. Damon half-stumbled and was half-pushed by his brother to step closer to the girl, before Stefan's hand on the dark-haired man's neck was now longer needed to force the oldest Salvatore's mouth to merge with the blood._

 _As a new pair of fangs breaking her flesh sounded, I moved around the pair to get a clear view of Damon's face. Finally, done feeding, Damon drew back whilst Stefan held onto him, acting as a supporting pillar. With my clear view of Damon's face, I saw the shift in his eyes, just before he lunged back in for more blood._

 _The clarity of the events before me turned into a blurry mess, and the only thing I could hear now were two familiar voices._

" _How do you feel?" Stefan called in the grayness around me._

" _You were right. It is a whole new world," Damon answered, a newfound strength to his voice._

" _We can explore it together," Stefan spoke contently._

" _You got what you wanted… You and me for all eternity. But hear this, brother." Damon's voice enveloped in bitterness. "I will make it an eternity of_ misery _for you."_

" _Damon!" The fog thickened around the name._

* * *

A feeling of rapidly being rushed upwards filled my being, and I awoke with a jerk.

At first I had trouble placing myself, being thrown back into reality so harshly. I laid and stared up into the darkness, hinting a familiar ceiling located above my bed. Then, my senses became aware of a crooked mattress beneath me and an arm wrapped around my body, making sense of the situation. Flashes of memories from the previous night rapidly darted past my eyes.

 _Right. I had slept with Damon._

Bringing my fist to my forehead, I tried to comprehend why I'd thought that was a good idea. I came up with now answer besides one: because I'd wanted to. What kind of mess had I gotten myself into?

Resisting the urge to facepalm at myself, I instead carefully turned my head to the side. My gaze met the calm face of a very much asleep Damon. The relaxed curve of his mouth, the hair falling into his eyes a bit, stirred up hazy images.

What had I just seen? Had it been a memory? It must have been!

A wrinkle between Damon's brows occurred, and he pulled my body closer to his, embracing me in the warmth of the cover he had stolen. Aha! I _knew_ he was a cover stealer!

Or maybe what I had seen was Damon's dream? It wasn't unlikely; _I_ sometimes re-experienced old, haunting memories in my dreams as well. A vampire like him would surely have done enough terrible things to be plagued at night. But _this_ , what I had seen, must have come to the surface because of Stefan's current blood problem; Damon remembering how it all began. Was I _supposed_ to have seen that? Or did it occur by accident since I just so happened to sleeping right next to him?

With a sigh, still very much asleep, Damon nestled his nose into the crook of my neck. For a brief moment, I closed my eyes to cherish how perfectly it seemed to fit there, how perfectly he seemed to fit against me, before forcing them open again. What was I doing? Seeing that memory made it feel as if I had an insight into something I wasn't supposed to know about; something _never_ would've been shared with me if the person in question had been conscious. And I didn't want to be here when he woke up and realized his mistake.

Daming all the consequences, I made my decision. Maybe too quickly, maybe too rashly, but my mind had been set.

Slowly, my gaze traveled up Damon's muscular arm to his sleeping face. With his arm still very much wrapped around me, it made my following move a bit problematic _._ Trying to pretend that I was moving around in my sleep, I turned my back to Damon in the hopes that it would give me the space to scoot out of his embrace. I was wrong. Instead, my plan backfired, and rather than being given a gap to escape through, Damon's other arm decided to wrap itself around my body as well. _Crap._

The situation called for patience, which I found myself lacking. Constantly, really. But since I sensed he was closing to waking up due to the stirring at my back, I laid perfectly still whilst forcing my breathing and heart rate to remain as slow and steady as possible.

As I laid there, relaxed, I felt Damon wake up briefly. He lifted his head, as if to scout the room laid in shadows, before he rested it against the pillow again, his arms hugging me slightly tighter. After I felt a content sigh brush against my neck, his arms eased around me.

With him drifting back asleep, body turing heavy, I waited another moment. Then, holding my breath, I dared reach out to raise his arm from my waist. Next, I rolled out of his grasp.

Landing on the floor softly, grimacing at the faint protesting sound the bed made, I took a careful peek at Damon. He was still asleep.

Silently breathing out, I swiftly grabbed my same black jeans from yesterday to slip them on. A dark blue shirt, my all-time favorite boots and a dark-brown leather jacket from the floor were also snatched whilst on the move. Thankfully, I found my bra and a pair of underwear near the bed, getting dressed as quietly as possible.

But when I heard a grunt behind me, I froze dead in the middle of putting on my shirt, its fabric being left like an infinity scarf around my neck. My lips twitching from the curses I held back, I _slowly_ turned to spy towards the figure in my bed.

Seeing that he had found a pillow to hug instead, my chest relaxed as I released an inaudible breath.

Moving again, quickly and quietly, in the dim light of the stairwell I buttoned my pants and stepped into my shoes. Going to throw my jacket on, I realized that I lacked the feeling of my brick of a phone hitting against my ribcage in its usual pocket. _Shit_.

Debating to go back inside and find it was quickly shrugged off, so instead I moved to leave it behind. Hopefully, I wouldn't need my little brick for the following hours. Where I was planning on going, being without it might even be far better.

* * *

"Parker…" Chase began, hesitantly. Gazing past me and out the side window of his car, his eyes got an uncertain edge to them when landing on the large house.

A large house, falling apart, but with the lights on and music vibrating from it.

"Are you sure about this? It doesn't feel like a good idea to drop you off her, when–"

"When I threatened you for ratting me out to Tim?" I filled in for him. "This is your way of paying me back, Chase. It doesn't make me your responsibility, I just wanted a ride." Jerking at the handle, I kicked the car door open, slamming it shut behind me before leaning in through the rolled down window. "Just be back by tonight."

"But _all_ day?" Chase checked, again. His concern was as clear as the dawn beginning to spread over the horizon beyond the tall trees.

"I know what I'm doing," I assured. His doubtful expression didn't change. I rolled my eyes. " _Go_ , Chase," I insisted, cutting him a sharp glare. "Now." Not waiting for him to protest again, I turned on my heel and headed up the path to the house.

Even with a new day dawning, the party inside the doors showed no sign of stopping. If it had laid any closer to town, or had neighbors, the police would have been here to shut everything down ages ago. But the secluded spot gave anyone looking for an escape the means to flee their lives for as long as they desired.

Just what I needed.

No knocking was necessary – or even possible to hear over the pounding music – so I simply walked right in. Squeezing myself in-between bodies still dancing as energized as if they'd just begun, I moved further into the house, closer to the music. I knew, from experience, that once I'd crossed the dancefloor I would reach all kinds of different types of alcohol.

But as I was halfway across the floor of jumping bodies, the music stopped. Cut off.

First, protests rose, but as the crowd spotted who had been the one to end the pounding beat, their voices faded. When all was quiet, I turned to look at the figure standing on the DJ's platform as well.

The girl in charge of the music stared with eyes just as wide as the rest of the horde's, all looking right at me.

"Well, well," Tim drawled, eyeing me up and down. Keeping him from seeing my fist clench at his gaze, I moved it to behind my back. _But I doubt he would notice._ At least given the bottle in his hand. With the way he held it, it certainly wasn't his first. His walking proved that as well.

"Timothy," I greeted, testing the limits and mood of his current state. In my teenage life here, I'd many times encountered Tim drunk, but during those times we'd still been together and, well, not hated each other.

How times change.

He swayed a little, letting out a sharp laugh. But his eyes remained unreadable. Was there fight in them? Just regular banter? It was impossible to tell. When he'd come close enough for me to be able to, I still saw nothing. Just his gaze raking over me.

"Parka, Parka…" Tim muttered. Around us, the crowd seemed to draw back a bit, but still close enough to hear every detail if a possible screamfest was to emerge. _This town_ … "What got you to swing by? Earning us," he spun to gesture for the crowd, "this _great_ pleasure!" Coming back, his eyes locked with mine. Finally, I could see him properly.

I smirked sideways. "Well, you see, Timmy. It was, of course–" Swiftly, I grabbed his bottle from his hand, raising it in the air above me, as if to cheer. "–to have a good time!" I stated, taking a swig of the disgusting beer. The weak, foul taste brought back old memories from this place, as well as others I'd either been dragged to or found myself in.

As Tim watched my movements intently, his gaze burning, the rest of the gathered seemed to hold their breaths. Until:

"Well!" Laughing, Tim moved to place an arm around my shoulders. And I let him, even managing a smile that wasn't all that fake as he faced the crowd. "Let's show this one a good time then!"

Cheering erupted, as the music returned. Instantly, bodies around us started bouncing up and down with the beat, quickly forgetting the close drama from seconds ago. Although Tim didn't. With his hand still on my shoulder, he walked around so we stood facing.

"You good?" he asked, eyes too clear for him to be drunk eyeing my face. _Maybe I'd misjudged him earlier._ A hiccup escaped him. _Or maybe not._

"Yeah." I nodded, taking another swig of his beer to prove my point. "Just blowing off some steam."

With a wide grin spreading, Tim's hand finally left me to gesture at the crowd grandly. "Then you've come to just the right place, baby!"

Even if he was annoying and a dick and made my skin crawl most of the times, I found myself smiling briefly. It was probably the beer, helping ease my tensions. I turned to scout for more.

* * *

"Thank you, Chaseyyyy. You're so sweet." Leaning over the gear lever, I gave Chase's golden cheek a slight peck. "You're just the best, you know?"

When I slumped back in the car seat, my whole body felt wonderfully full of light buzzing. Even if the alcohol might have gone a bit to my head, I was still in a relaxed state; and that was even after I'd almost wrestled my ex to the ground.

"Yeah, yeah. You should really get some sleep, Parks," he stated, eyes boring into mine seriously. "Since you were there _all_ day, and with how it ended with Tim when I showed up–"

"Pfft! That was nothing," I waved off. "Fighting's part of our thing. It's like flirting, basically."

"That didn't look flirty to me," Chase remarked, grimly. He had a point, since I'd been dangerously close to move past the screaming of insults to jump on Tim, all after he'd decided to get a bit too handsy for my liking. I had enough problem with _one_ guy in my life to worry about, I certainly didn't want that ex of mine to get any ideas. Speaking of which.

"Don't worry about it," I said, turning to look out the window up at my apartment building, not able to help but wondering if a certain someone was still there. I _had_ been gone all day, not calling Chase until night had fallen once more, but with Damon one never really knew. "See you around," I directed over my shoulder at Chase, half-heartedly, as I nudged the car door open to head for my building.

Normally, climbing up the stairs was a piece of cake, but this time taking the steps made me became painfully aware of all the liquor I'd consumed over the course of the day. The steps swayed a bit beneath my feet, the walls not quite finding me when I tried to reach for them. Nevertheless, I managed to reach my front door in one piece. Only one thing left to do.

With a bracing breath, I shouldered open my stubborn door. And was faced with my very much empty apartment. _Huh._ Oh well! One less confrontation for the day. Honestly, Tim had kind of drained me in that department, so it was probably for the best.

As I was just about to seat myself on my couch, feeling my bones long for the rest, a beep from my phone went off, from somewhere further inside the flat. It wasn't a call being known, nor a text, but rather a reminder. I knew what that meant without having to find my brick to check it.

" _Shit_!"

* * *

"You're–"

"Late!" I filled in for Bella. "For my shift. I know, I know. Sorry." Taking support from the bar counter between us, I let out a sharp breath caused by my sprint here. If I'd thought I'd felt the alcohol earlier, this was an eye-opener. Instead of filling me with a nice high, being tipsy now made the room around me spin a bit.

"–drunk," Bella finished with one swift look at my appearance.

"Ehrm, excuse me?" Trying to cross my arms, I was forced to let go of the counter, which almost caused me to tip over in the process. _Okay,_ maybe I was a _teensy_ bit drunk.

"You heard me. Forget your shift. Go home," Bella ordered, turning. To just leave me. Standing there, holding onto a stool to prevent myself from falling over again.

"Wasted run," I muttered, daring to ease my grip to stand on my own to feet without support. But since I didn't have to stick around at the Grill, what use was there to stick around? Easily, I decided to just go back home again. _Walking_ this time. The idea of sleeping it off started to feel more and more appealing…

However, fate had other plans.

"Hey!" I grunted as someone walked right into me at the door. "Watch where you're– Elena?" I blinked, laying eyes on my sister.

"PARKS!" I was attacked by a hug, Elena holding onto me as if her dear life depended on it. "Where have you been?! I've been calling you all day!" She withdrew, only to grab my face and hold it firmly in her hands, shaking me slightly. "Are you drunk?!" It couldn't be _that_ obvious!

"I'm fine," I said and pushed her hands away. "What's with the worrying?"

Finally, Elena stopped trying to get to me, instead biting her lip as she stared searchingly at my face. "You haven't gotten any of my calls?"

"I, ehrm, _left_ my phone at home," I lied smoothly, then frowned at my sister's panicked expression. "Why? What's going on?"

She shook her head, tired. "You've missed quite the day…" Her head shot to the left, as if to scout the area of the nearby Town's Square. Following her gaze, I saw nothing.

"What are you looking for?"

" _Who_ ," Elena corrected me with a sigh. "Look, I don't have much time. But the short version is that Isobel is back."

"Your birth mom?" I exclaimed. Elena hushed me.

"Yeah, but not so loud! Earlier today she requested a meeting, said she wanted a device Damon had. If she didn't get it, she would start killing innocent people!" And obviously that was a problem. "She hurt Matt, Parks." _Poor guy_ ; yet I merely raised a brow. "And kidnapped Jeremy!"

"She _WHAT_?" I snapped. How _dare_ that bitch hurt my family! Screw the rest of the town! Elena and Jeremy were _off-limits._

"That's why I'm here," Elena explained patiently. "Isobel wants a device created by Johnathan Gilbert, or she'll kill Jer." Her gaze flew back to the Town Square.

"Then I'm coming with you," I stated, grabbing Elena's hand to pull her with me. Before she could stop me, I'd managed to drag her across the street and over the green lawn towards the monument in the middle of the park area.

"No! Parks!" Elena janked me back by my arm. "She said to come _alone_."

"I'm freaking drunk, Elena!" _There!_ I admitted it. Happy? "What kind of a threat am I?"

"I still think you could put up quite the fight," a silky smooth voice spoke from behind me. Simultaneously, Elena and I turned our heads towards the sound.

"Isobel," was all Elena managed to get out. A woman with raven-black hair gathered in a high ponytail eyed me up and down. She was dressed entirely in black, and there laid an aura of something untouchable around her. A faint bell of remembrance rang at the back of my mind. But it stopped when I met her eyes. _Dead_. Clearly, no emotions home there.

"You must be the older sister," Isobel remarked with a cold smile.

"You look older," I stated, folding my arms over my chest.

"You remember me," Isobel stated. I nodded.

"Dad's clinic, a rainy evening, a terrified girl standing on the doorstep and gazing down at her swelling belly with fear," I counted up. No reaction. "I was _eight_ , not stupid!" I huffed into her perfect face accentuated by beautifully done makeup, again getting absolutely no reaction whatsoever in return. _Oh, this was going to be hard._ Tilting my head to the side, I pointed at Isobel's forehead. "Is that a wrinkle?" Elena pulled at my arm, signaling for me to shut up.

"Where is the device?" Isobel asked my sister, deciding to ignore me completely.

"Where is our brother?" Elena retorted.

"This isn't a negotiation. Where is the invention?" Isobel spoke coldly.

"No, it's a trade. So where the hell is Jer?" I bit back in Elena's place, feeling like I needed to bring at least _something_ to the table.

Isobel barely threw a look my way as she showed off a microscopic, content sneer. "Do you really think that I came alone?" Hearing footsteps behind me and Elena, I turned to see a tall man and woman stopping a few feet away from us. I could take them.

"Did you really think that _I_ came alone?" Elena replied, crossing her arms. Just as Isobel, I turned to peer over her head and her black, curly ponytail flipping, to spot none other than the approaching Salvatore brothers. Oh, _shit._

Briefly, my gaze found Damon, but I quickly decided to direct my attention on Stefan instead. Damon could wait. Right now, the bigger question was what the younger Salvatore brother was doing here, considering he shouldn't be anywhere _near_ Elena after what happened! With his recently reappeared bloodlust, as well as I'd gathered from Damon's dream this morning, Stefan's case was getting further and further away from any redeeming qualities he might have shown previously. However, there was a time and a place for everything.

"For god sakes," Isobel muttered. "Call home," she told Elena with a sigh.

"What?" Elena blinked, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Call home. Ask to speak to your brother Jeremy," Isobel clarified with a roll of her eyes.

Without a moment to lose, Elena dug up her phone from the pocket of her brown blazer, turning her back against Isobel to look at me as the signals went by. "Jeremy?" she finally exclaimed. Even if I couldn't hear anything from the conversation on the other end, Elena's expression of relief said it all. "I'll be home soon, alright?" Tucking her phone away, my sister nodded at me. She took a deep breath. _Safe._ "You were never gonna hurt him," she stated, glancing over at Isobel. Truly, I wished I could have believed the same, but looking over at my sister's birth mother gave me a far different impression.

"No, I was going to kill him," Isobel answered, confirming my suspicion. "Don't look for any redeeming qualities in me. I don't have any," she told Elena with a shake of her head.

"But you took a risk with Damon. How did you know that he was gonna give it to me?" Elena questioned.

"Well, at first I thought that he cared about you since you look like Katherine." Isobel observed her daughter with her head tilted to the side, before she turned to fully face me. "But now I can see that he's in love with someone else." The second the words had left her lips, it felt as if she had poured a bucket of ice cold water over my head. Seeing my probably blanching reaction, Isobel allowed a little smirk to be shown.

 _What?_ In _love_ with? Was she messing with me? We had slept together _once_! There was _no_ love so far. Or…?

Carefully, I dared to throw a look Damon's way. He seemed uncomfortable, as he glanced over at Stefan. He _couldn't_ be… It was ridiculous!

As the silence prolonged, I shoved my thoughts of denial down, feeling Elena's confused and questioning gaze on me. I ignored her, along with Damon – who had now turned his eyes to me – by focusing my narrowed stare on Isobel. Paying no mind to me, she held her hand out for Elena. Stepping forward, my sister placed the notorious device in her birth mother's pale palm.

"Thank you," Elena spoke.

"For what?" Isobel asked.

"For being such a monumental disappointment. It keeps the memory of my real mother _perfectly_ intact." Withdrawing her hand with that coldly delivered comment, Elena raised her chin. At her side, I repressed the urge to give her an high-five.

"Goodbye, Elena. As long as you have a Salvatore on your arm, you're doomed. The same goes for you." The last was shot past my sister, at me. My response was intensifying my cold glare. "Katherine was smart. She got out. But we all know that you're not Katherine," Isobel finished, eyeing her daughter up and down with a hint of disappointment.

"Thanks for the pep-talk, _mother of the year_ ," I muttered. It was either that, or ripping a plank loose from one of the benches to stake Isobel with it. But the female had one last comeback prepared, tilting her head to the side to observe me with an awfully content smile, radiating just how full of herself she truly was, her gaze eyeing me up and down as well.

"Do you always dress in such a hurry, after you've had–"

"OKAY, thank you and goodbye!" I interrupted, when feeling my heart stop cold in my chest. There was no way in _hell_ I'd let that woman wreck relations more than she already had. Quickly, I reached to smooth my hair into place the best I could, correcting my clothes before Elena could turn and take a closer look at my appearance.

Still smirking slightly, Isobel slowly walked away, her two minions after her. As soon as they'd started making their way across the park, I once again felt Elena's questioning gaze on me.

"You okay?" was all I managed to whisper my sister's way, earning a nod mixed with a shrug. Understandable, after that encounter.

Stefan walked closer, embracing Elena in a hug, whilst I glared at the two.

"He's okay now, Parks," Elena reassured me, as if reading my murdering mind. I scoffed my displeasure, and Stefan released Elena.

"If you have something to say–"

"I _do,_ actually," I stated, through clenched jaws, as I took a step closer. "As you might recall, I told you that I wouldn't hesitate to take you down if you couldn't control your bloodlust. You are not allowed anywhere _near_ Elena anymore, vamp!"

"Parker!" Elena exclaimed, her eyes wide as she tried to wedge herself between me and Stefan.

"It's okay," Stefan assured her over his shoulder, as he gently kept her back. "I get it," he told me with a humble nod. "If the roles were reversed, I would have felt the same. So I can't blame you. I understand completely if you don't _approve_ of Elena's relationship with me after what happened, but I'm not gonna walk away unless she wants me to. Sorry." He held my eye, firmly, until he was done. I could only stare at the mad man.

Where was my damn conflict? Why was he being so straightforward and calm? Pushing all the right buttons with his arguments? Because if there was _one_ thing I always lived by when it came to my siblings, then it was to _not_ force them to stop doing something they want to do.

Cursing Stefan inwardly, I raised my chin. "Fine," I said shortly, gritting my teeth. "But I got my eyes on you," I warned.

"Of course," Stefan answered with a nod. From behind him, Elena shook her head.

"You done?" my sister questioned me with a raise of her brows.

"Yep."

"Good." Elena rubbed her forehead with a sigh. "I need some sleep."

"I'll take you home," Stefan offered.

The scenario instantly began playing out in my head; Stefan and Elena together meant that Damon and I would be left alone. Meaning that the conversation about not only what had happened last night, but also Isobel's little bomb dropping just now, was closing in like a speeding car on a highway to hell. A glance over at Damon, still standing a bit further away, confirmed my suspicion. I was met by his intense blue eyes staring right back at me.

" _Actually_!" I knocked Stefan away from Elena with a bump of my hip, throwing my arm around her shoulders. "Sister bonding time," I declared.

Elena glared at me and tried to shove me away, but I stood my ground. "Parks–"

"It's been _ages_ , Elena! And we _really_ need to talk." Faking a cough, I discreetly jerked my head in the direction of the older Salvatore brother.

Instantly, Elena stopped fighting me, her face going blank as she understood my little hint. "Yeah, you're right... Sorry, Stefan. I'll–"

"It's okay," Stefan reassured with a small smile. Clearly, he didn't want to overstep my newly drawn line, dropping the matter in a chivalry way. _UGH!_

"Great! Come on!" I dragged my sister towards where I guessed she had parked her car, making a large circle around Damon, without as much as glancing at him, before hurrying my steps and dragging Elena along with my fast pace.

"Parks–"  
"In a minute."

Once we'd both jumped into the car, and I'd instantly turned on the stereo that have the speakers blast in the car to make the whole vehicle vibrate like a massage stool, I finally turned to my sister, just as she shut the door to the driver's seat.

"I did the thing," I stated.

"What _thing_?" she sighed, rubbing her temples.

Since I couldn't bear the look I knew was about to paint her face, I turned in my seat to watch the empty street before us, taking a deep, preparing breath. "I slept with Damon." There was no need for me to be facing Elena, as I could see her swiftly turn in her seat out in the corner of my eye.

"YOU _WHAT?_ "


	27. Conflicts of the Heart

"This could get ugly," I warned Elena as her hand rested on the door handle. It was soon about to be pushed down, so that we could enter bathroom she shared with Jeremy.

"I know," she answered with a sigh. "But I _have_ to do this." I rolled my eyes and was about to turn to go back to lay down on Elena's soft, comfy bed – pushing away thoughts concerning my _own_ potentially broken one at my flat – when I felt a hand firmly wrap itself around my wrist. " _We_ have to do this."

"Uuuuh! 'Kay!" I grunted out, my face turned to the ceiling, before following Elena as she took the few steps through the bathroom to Jeremy's door.

Before opening the final door, Elena glanced over her shoulder to peer back at me, bracing herself with a deep breath. She turned the handle. The strong light from the bathroom made it absolutely impossible to see anything when scouting into Jeremy's dark interior.

"Jeremy, we have to talk about all this," Elena stated, taking a step further into the room. Her fingers absentmindedly began to pick on her cuticles. Staying, I leaned against the doorframe with my arms folded over my chest. I was _here_ , like Elena wanted, but forget that I'd go in any further.

"No, we really don't," Jeremy retorted, throwing his phone onto the bed.

"I don't know what Anna told you, but there are things that you need to know," Elena carefully approached.

"Yeah?" Jeremy rose up from his bed and moved closer, mimicking my action of folding his arms. "Because I'm pretty sure that your journal covered it." Elena's _what_ now?

"Do you write _everything_ down in that?" I exclaimed from the door frame. Elena ignored me.

"You read my journal?" she instead questioned.

"And save me the speech about invasion of privacy, because I read a section about Damon erasing my memory, about what happened to Vicki." _Uh-oh_. Jeremy's eyes hardened on Elena.

"Jeremy, please, you don't understand," Elena began her defence with a step towards Jer. "The night that Vicki died… it was like Mom and Dad died all over again. It was all over your face and it hurt _so_ much to see you like that. I just wanted to take your pain away."

"And you let her," Jeremy directed over Elena's head, towards me. At his hard eyes, I straightened my posture.

"Something's are better off not being remembered, Jer," I said quietly. He huffed.

"Just get out," was Jeremy's only response, his glare flying between me and Elena.

"No. Jeremy–" I only spotted Elena's back, but I didn't have to see much else to know that she was close to tears, her trembling voice giving her away.

"Stop! Just get out. Please," Jeremy spoke firmly. Actually, I would've preferred some yelling over his cold anger crap.

"Jer, listen…" I began, pushing myself off the doorframe, but Elena turned around with a surrendering shake of her head to grab me by my arm, dragging me out of the room before I even had a chance to finish my sentence.

The door was shut right in my face by a glaring Jeremy as soon as we had crossed the threshold, and Elena and I simply stood there in the yellow, illuminated bathroom and stared at the closed door for a moment. Until I couldn't keep my mouth shut anymore.

"So. That went well."

With a sigh, Elena retreated into her room and slumped down on her bed, reaching for a pillow to bury her face in. With a roll of my eyes, I followed to seat myself beside her.

"Here I thought this day couldn't get any more dramatic," Elena's muffled voice complained.

"You and me both," I sighed and drew a hand through my messy hair.

It had taken the _entire_ car ride back from the Grill for my sister to calm down enough to actually _listen_ to the whole story surrounding Damon, instead of just yelling at me. Once she was done with that, we had remained in the comfortable seats and continued discussing the matter; and by ' _we'_ I of course meant Elena, and by ' _discussing'_ I meant lecturing. Without a shadow of a doubt, I could safely state that she _definitely_ didn't support my decision. On top of that, I was still not too keen on the inevitable confrontation with Damon about the whole thing, but mainly what Isobel had said. Even now, I just wanted to grunt and go underground. Disappear.

Of course, when we finally had gone inside the house, Elena just _had_ to decide that a conversation with Jeremy was needed, since he had been kidnapped by her vampire mother. Clearly, it had only been a waste of time and effort Still, I would make sure to have a another chat with Jer about the matter when we could do it on _my_ terms; aka, yell a lot.

In an attempt to relieve some tension in my neck, I rotated my head, all whilst eyeing a large painting of a horse drawn in graphite, that hung above Elena's bed. She continued rambling on about the problems that had popped up during the past few days, mainly focusing on a detailed version about what had happened earlier today, during my time out filled with drinking. Feeling obliged, probably by my pedantic father's spirit lingering in the house, I rose up from the bed to move and fix the black frame that hung obliquely against the bleak, yellow wallpaper. As I did this, a small, light green binder fell out from behind it, bouncing off the black bed frame to land on the sheets next to Elena's face, which was still covered by her pillow. Quickly, she removed the white bundle of feathers to stare up at me with wide eyes.

" _Jeremy_ found it, Elena," I said. Before my sister could as much as make a move, I had snatched the diary. "You need a better hiding place," I stated, opening the light green book to flip through the first of the yellowish pages. Elena threw her pillow at me, which I easily dodged, before she jumped up from the bed, moving to wrestle the diary out of my grip.

"Hey! Stop that!" Her arms flung after it, by I held her off with ease. However, my teasing smirk disappeared as I glimpsed a certain entry from a few months ago. Roughly, I closed the binder at my sister's words in a special entry about none other then her dear, big sissy.

"You think that I'm insensitive and selfish?" I asked, pointing at her with the book in my hand.

"Parker!" Elena huffed, snatching the binder from me. "It's rude to read someone else's–"

"Don't dodge," I scolded. She quieted, fingers turning white as she hugged her diary.

"It's a diary," she defended with a faint shrug. "People write stupid things in them."

"And apparently pours their heart out about everything concerning vampires," I scoffed.

"Look, I know it wasn't–"

"Save it," I bit off. Elena's eyes widened at my harsh tone. Even if we were sisters, I rarely snapped so harshly at her. "You're getting off subject. You wrote _that_." I pointed strictly at the small binder. "Is that really what you think about me?"

"I– Well… You do these things… And…" She sighed, collecting herself. "Look. You left, Parks. Didn't even show up at Mom and Dad's funeral. It hurt." If only she knew why. Elena's doe eyes turned even more troubled; two fights with two different siblings in a matter of minutes. Painful, to say the least.

"It was a long time ago," I trailed off.

"And so was it since I wrote this," Elena argued and waved with her diary in hand. Still, it stung.

I wasn't ignorant; I already knew that I was seen a selfish. Often disregard other people's feelings before opening my mouth. But hearing it from my _sister!_ Somehow, that just hurt more deep.

"Whatever." I pushed my way past her to get to the door. I couldn't stand another argument with Elena – which was saying something – our relationship was rocky enough as it was. Usually, I enjoyed the fighting, actually even it a little _too_ much for my own good. But just not with her.

"Hey! Stop." Elena's palm shut the door as my hand was inches away from making my escape. "Can we not?" she pleaded, dipping her head down to force my gaze to meet hers. With a sigh, I raised my head from the floor. "You're not exactly making it easy," I stated, folding my arms.

"Funny, I was about to say the same," Elena retorted. _Okay, point taken._ "I'm sorry for writing it. But I still love you," she added, a bit softer; it was really all that was needed for the ice throne in my heart to thaw.

"It's fine." I waved off, strolling back to sit down on Elena's bed. "I've got much bigger problems on my mind." Like Damon, whose head popped into my mind as I stared at the pointy shadows cast by a big tree just outside Elena's window.

"Wanna talk about it?" Elena tried, placing aside her diary, yet her eyes still scanning her room, as if looking for a new hiding place.

"Nah, I'm good." I grabbed the light-green binder from where my sister had put it, my eyes wandering to land on her white dresser. Quietly, I moved to tuck it into the bottom of the drawer filled with lace underwear. "I don't think Jeremy will go looking for it in there," I smirked, inspiring a laugh from Elena. "Mind if I sleep over?" I went on to ask as soon her laugh had died down.

"Of course not. But you can't avoid _him_ forever," Elena pointed out as she digged out an old, oversized t-shirt for me to sleep in, her voice turning bitter when uttering ' _him'_. Couldn't she even speak Damon's name anymore? With my back once again hitting the soft mattress, I caught the bundle she threw at me. Smoothing out the fabric revealed ' _Whitmore College'_ written in big, bold, red letters over the otherwise grey chest. Whatever memories wanted up to the surface from my visits there with Dad, were firmly pushed down; one painfully reminding flash from my youth at a time here.

"I'm just gathering my strength for it," I said and pulled my own shirt over my head. "I'll be more than ready to take the confrontation soon enough. Trust me. I just need some time."

* * *

JUNE 2009

 _The damp grass sparkled in the bleak sunlight, drops of water left from the chilly night clinging to the green strands. Even this early, it was clear it would be a beautiful day. However, the rays of the sun had not yet turned warm as a crowd gathered around two black coffins, awaiting to be lowered into the earth. The sobs could be heard from across the cemetery, causing even the coldest stone hearts to melt into a mere puddle._

 _Like my own for instance. Its beating felt more like a tremble than a steady rhythm. Watching all the people before me dressed in black, desperately trying to wipe their tears away, all in vain. The black nail polish that had sat to dry on my nails just last night was already chipped and bitten off, my fingers now instead busying themselves with plucking at the hem of my black blouse._

 _If observing from the_ far _made me this nervous, how the_ hell _would I ever be able to approach the scene? I hadn't even seen any of my siblings yet! But I already knew that the mere sight of them would probably make my heart break, whether they were crying uncontrollably or simply standing stiffly as if staring out a the vast void._

 _The crowd was large, not so surprising._ Of course _dear Miranda and reliable Grayson Gilbert were loved by the entire community, small or not. Amongst the many figures I glimpsed the bouncing curls of a blonde head, as the girl they sat on cried into the shoulder of a shorter figure. Caroline's sobs echoed over the graves all the way to my place among the deciduous tree, her back gently being patted by someone who I could only presume was Juliette Walters, judging by her blonde bob. Which would mean that Suzanne Walters – aka the Principal from hell – wasn't far away. Taking a step back, I made sure that I was hidden in the shadows, my black suit pants, black boots and dark blue blazer perfectly melting into the settings. As if this whole situation wasn't bad enough already; I wasn't all too keen on meeting_ that _bitch as well._

 _Caroline's and Juliette's blonde manes were the only familiar attributes I could hint in the large crowd, mainly because they were the only ones who didn't force their gazes into the grass. However, I_ might _also have glimpsed Liz in a black dress; she seemed out of place, with her usual uniform discarded. Under normal circumstances, she would be trying to put me in handcuffs, but that was a long time ago now._

 _A girl with dark complexion and a heart-shaped face framed by black curls caught my eye next as my gaze swept over the gathering again; Bonnie-Bear. And she looked so grown-up! As did Caroline and Juliette, I now noted as they stepped closer to the dark-haired girl. They stood in a gathered troop, almost awaiting someone. Caroline and Bonnie were crying, while Juliette just looked very uncomfortable and out of place, rubbing her blonde friend's back._

 _My musings about what they were waiting for didn't have to twirl around in my head for much longer, as a slender figure dressed in a black, loose dress with her dark brown hair swept back and gathered into a low ponytail limped towards them._

Elena _._

 _Her arm was looped with Jeremy's, who seemed very much out of place in his undoubtedly newly purchased suit. What an event to buy his very first suit for_ … _In an attempt to keep my heart from breaking at the sight of my siblings standing side by side, I made this observation to, as well as letting my thoughts plow on instead of focusing on the growing pit in my stomach. Elena must have recently been released from the hospital._

 _Only a few weeks ago, when I had last visited this forsaken dump of a town, she had still been laying in one of those stiff hospital beds with sticky sheets, impossible to awake; believe me, I had tried. Turns out violently shaking someone who was in a coma didn't work to wake them up. Who knew? The doctors, actually. They were pretty clear about that after the hospital's security had dragged me away from the bed occupied by my sister's limp body._

 _A strawberry blonde head and a familiar man dressed in a simple but still fitting suit appeared behind Jeremy, who by the way were rocking a pair of black shades – probably to hide his red eyes, dried out from crying. Jenna held back a glare when John lead her forward with his hand on her lower back. Euw. Can't say I wanted to see that._

 _Why was I torturing myself like this? I could barely even look at my little sister! I wanted to approach and embrace her, pull my baby bro into a hug as well. Let them both cry into each of my shoulders and mourn our parents together. But I just couldn't. Now matter how much I wanted to._

 _I shouldn't have come here._

 _With my back against the uneven bark of an oak tree, my body sank to the ground, all whilst I completely ignored my dark clothing being soiled by chips of wood. I had to dig through my blazer's pocket for quite some time, still watching the crowd beyond a vast space stretching out before me, full of so many familiar faces, bowing their heads down as the sad tunes of a violin filled the cemetery. Finally, as my heart couldn't bear more of the music, my fingers clasped around my phone. Thankfully, I had the number that was racing through my mind on speed dial, causing a sigh of relief since my shaking fingers didn't have to attempt to dial the digits._

 _The beeping signals echoing into my ear combined with the sad violin somehow made my heart wither away into even tinier pieces._

" _Yes?" a monotone voice_ finally _answered._

" _Hunter?" I pinned my eyes shut as I pulled my legs up to make my knees meet my chest, resting my forehead in the palm of my hand. "You were right. I can't do this."_

" _Say no more," the voice commanded. Nodding, I took a deep breath. "Jack is waiting just around the corner."_

 _I nodded again, and felt a small tear force its way from my eye down my cheek. I froze. My free hand came to my chin to catch the small drop before it rolled off and fell down onto my chest. In amazement, I moved to watch my slightly damp finger. I hadn't cried in…only_ God _knew how long! I'd even forgotten what it felt; as well as the ache it came with. The hollowness that swallowed me; numbed my body and my mind; leaving me whimpering along with my heart, which was cracking into a million, tiny pieces._

" _Parker?" Hunter's distant voice called through the phone, worry sneaking into it; very rare._

" _I'm…" Fine? Okay? Both were huge lies, and I'd promised Hunter to never tell him another untruthful statement ever again, just as he had promised the same. "Alive," I settled on._

" _Get to Jack," Hunter ordered, but an intake of air stopped me from instantly ending the call. After a long, silent pause of awaiting his answer, my thinning patience was rewarded. "This is what_ they _wanted to spare you from."_

 _Curling my fists into stones, I felt a fire ignite within me. It filled every inch of my body, replacing the previously numbing sadness to give me new strength._

" _Look how that worked out," I seethed._

" _I know," Hunter admitted, quietly. "But this is what I wanted to spare you from as well." When it came to express affection, this was as close as you could get to it with Hunter. My boiling blood calmed down a bit, as my fists relaxed._

" _We both know that you can't spare people from heartache. Sometimes doing so can hurt them more," I reminded him, as I tired to keep my voice from cracking._

" _I'm aware of that, too. But Cassandra is alive thanks to you," Hunter pointed out. If my heart hadn't been breaking before, it was nothing like the pain that was filling it now. Physical pain. A bullet penetrating my shoulder or fire peeling off my skin was nothing in comparison to this heartache._

" _I have enough painful memories as it is," I grunted into the phone. She may be alive and free, but it had come at a great price that I was now paying. Hunter's silence was enough for me to know that he took my anger like a brick wall._

" _Come back to base, Agent Shaw. Jack is still waiting." With his cold voice roaming through my head, I ended the call. The frosty ending of the conversation could only mean that Hunter had no longer been alone in his office. He seemed to be getting more and more visits from the ones upstairs these days._

 _A bad sign._

 _A few blocks away, just as promised, a black BMW-7 patiently stood by the sidewalk, awaiting me. Even after the five minute walk, my legs were still shaking slightly, my thick heels clicking against the pavement. But my single tear had dried long ago, and I had left the sobbing crowd behind without a single glance over my shoulder, closing my heart off once more. Throwing away the key._

 _Okay. A lie._

 _Another tear may have rolled down my cheek as I had risen up from the earthy ground, taking support against the oak tree to survey the sad bundle of townspeople dressed in black. All my protective walls fell down to crumble to dust as I had laid eyes on my sobbing sister clinging on to my trembling brother. But I was doing this for them. Backing away and staying away was protecting them from far greater dangers than the aching sadness caused by deceased parents. This was for the best._

 _At first, the car door refused to open when I pulled at it. I janked at it one more time, before I lost my sliver of patience and smashed my fist into the car window. It gave up a pleasing crack, and the door finally unlocked with a click._

" _Not in the mood," I told the man in the driver's seat, without as much as a glance his way._

" _Come on!" Jack coaxed. "It was a_ little _funny. Admit it." Refusing to respond, I only glared at the empty road ahead. "Fine," he gave in and turned on the engine, preparing to hatch another one-liner._

" _They're gone," I interrupted his intake of breath. "Dead," I added, sinking back into my seat whilst my chest tightened._

 _Rarely enough, Jack remained quiet as a mouse for a good few minutes. His hand traveled through his brown, slicked back mane, and I finally turned to peer at his W-shaped, receding hairline – always fun to point out and tease him about, as it seemed to be the only thing that ever got to him – and his usual tanned complexion, even darker now, which was the only clue to his recent visit in Thailand._

" _It hurts. But it gets better," Jack said, simply, pausing for a moment to let the words sink in, before he pulled the gearshift into go and pressed down on the gas with his brown dress boots._

" _When?" Only a month had gone by, but it sure as hell wasn't feeling any better. In fact, the pain had done the very opposite, and increased._

" _Beats me." Jack shrugged, and I glared at him. "Don't give me that look, Missy. If I knew, I'd tell you. Pain sticks around. Physical pain leaves scars that sometimes fade, while heartache never really heals."_

" _How reassuring," I spoke through gritted teeth._

" _Stop interrupting me," Jack scolded me with a finger waving into my face. I scoffed at it as his gaze never left the road unfolding before us, now bordered with big, fancy houses instead of the thick forest that surrounded the cemetery. "It gets easier to live with. You learn to," he finished, hazel eyes leaving the road momentarily to check on me. "You okay? Do I need to call in the Rock for a therapeutic hugging session?"_

" _I'm good, thanks," I responded with a roll of my eyes._

" _Sure? He's only a quick phone call away," Jack offered, pulling his phone out from the inner pocket of his black, leather jacket to dangle it in front of me temptingly._

" _Positive." A small smirk reluctantly spread out, and I quickly turned my head away to hide it._

 _Jack might have been a douche who couldn't stay serious for more than five minutes, always itching to drop a one-liner, but when he tried to be sweet you just couldn't help but appreciate the effort. Especially when the story of a woman lying dead, spread out on a kitchen table with a chequered tablecloth in red and white, blood seeping out to turn the fabric solely forever red, echoed through my mind together with the sound of raining bullets. Jack's way of coping was playing everything off as a joke, a strategy I myself had grown to adopt more and more over the course of the past couple of years._

" _Now that I think about it," I spoke up as the car drove past a sign, informing us that we were driving onto the highway heading towards Washington, "I'm craving a good cheese pizza. Brock probably has some extra cash lying around." The combination of food and a successful attempt at cheering me up was enough for Jack let out a victorious raise of his fist._

" _Yes!"_

" _You dork," I commented, with another roll of my eyes._

" _Why thank you! Such a nice compliment."_

 _My smile might still have been sad when I listened in on Jack's and Brock's conversation rumbling through the speaker that was connected to the car, hearing them bicker like an old married couple, but even so I enjoyed the distraction. The image of Elena's and Jer's red and swollen faces as they stood next to the coffins still made my heart ache, but I could live with the pain. I had managed to pull through so much worse already. I would learn to live with this too._

 _I had no other choice._


	28. Stay the Hell out of the Way

"Where the hell are you?"

"I'm close! Turning a corner onto the main street right now. Jeez, relax woman."

"What's taking so long then?"

"It's crowded, okay!"

"Well, _HURRY UP!_ "

Cursing loudly, I removed the phone to rub my ringing ear. What was with Elena and screaming – at me – through phones all the damn time? How could she even be calling me right now anyway? She was supposed to be standing on a float waving at the crowd as a part of the Founder's Day Parade thingy. Modern day technology and classy southern 1800s clothing – the theme of the Miss Mystic float – didn't exactly mix and match. Caroline's hawk eyes probably wouldn't have allowed the usage either.

When I finally zigzagged into the heart of the little community, the music from the parade exploded. Yet _another_ reason to shield my poor ears! Elbowing my way through the thick crowd of gleeful townspeople, all cheering like crazy at Mrs Lockwood presenting the different themes of the floats barely reached my ears, mainly because of the group next to me, screaming at the top of their lungs when a float with the theme ' _The Battle of Willow Creek'_ slowly drove by. I just managed to glimpse Jeremy and Tyler dressed in plain, gray uniforms with old, fake rifles in their hands, smiling and waving at the loud crowd before them. At least Jer looked happier today, although I still made a mental note to talk to him about his recent frosty behavior towards Elena later, when the chance presented itself.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our stunning Miss Mystic Falls Court and their handsome escorts," Carol voiced over the noise. Tip-toeing, I barely got a glimpse of my sister in an uncomfortable dress she'd called to complain about earlier this morning.

Instantly, I gravely regretted my decision to wear flats today; I would have needed my old, reliable boots to see anything over this tall crowd. But, for once, I'd chosen comfort over fashion; along with a pair of loose-fitted, ripped jeans and a black, comfy sweater under my brown leather jacket, with a pair of matching sunglasses acting like a headband to keep my messy hair out of my face.

When I'd finally fought my way to the street where the carriage were passing, I realized that I was on the wrong side of the road. _Shoot._ Even though the couples dressed in vintage clothing swirled around to wave at both sides of the street, they clearly favored the other one, since an even bigger crowd had gathered there. Retreating back, I elbowed my way through the cheerful families once more, until I reached a stand were a grumpy-looking dude was selling hot dogs.

"Don't mind me," I excused and jumped up onto the counter, finally getting a better view of the scene. I ignored the hot dog guy's protests about me staining his shiny counter, which _already_ had greasy spots before I stepped up onto it, might I add.

The decorated float with the Miss Mystic court passed by, and Stefan quickly noticed me up on my little platform, alerting Elena by poking a finger into her side. She turned around to face him whilst giggling, waving rapidly as she spotted me.

Through the gaps between the couples, I could hint Bonnie not too far away, standing in the middle of the other crowd. Once the carriage had driven past us, I waved to the dark-haired curls surrounding the cocoa-skinned, heart-shaped face as well. Bonnie returned my wave a little hesitantly – maybe thinking I'd still be pissed at her after her interference with Stefan's blood freak-out at the Miss Mystic thing – even adding a shy smile. I was just about to return it, when I noticed _another_ familiar figure in the crowd stretching out between me and Bonnie. _Jäklar._

The wry smirk looked even more smug than usual as Damon raised his hand to wave at me.

"För i helvete…"

The marching orchestra's music rang in my ears, their trumpets growing louder and the beating of the many drums intensifying. I knew this encounter was inevitable, yet I had still hoped to avoid it a _little_ bit longer. But maybe I still could. Jumping down from my creative podium, I glimpsed Damon turn around to peer at Bonnie instead of attempting to follow me; good, that would give me a head start.

With the hot dog guy's complaints ringing in my ears along with the deafening music, I spotted the Miss Mystic float and hurried after it. _Elena_ would be able to protect me from any confrontation with a certain smoking vampire; she was like an efficient shield when it came to repelling Damon.

My stalking of the float lead me to turn a corner into a much more quiet street, the orchestra's music finally dying down behind me. Eventually, the float stopped and its passengers abandoned it. Elena and Stefan were discussing something just beside it as I closed in on them.

"I'm here! Everybody chill," I declared, resting my elbow on Elena's shoulder. My sister's face was a shadow of her previous smile as she rolled her eyes at me, shrugging me off. Stefan lightly grazed her elbow in a comforting gesture. "What?" I questioned with a frown.

"New update: John's my biological father," Elena informed with a sigh. The signs of her freaking out were all still very visible; cuticles plucked at and curls twirled into tight strings of hair, I noticed now up-close. This was news how…?

"Duh," I spoke with a shrug.

" _Excuse_ me?" Elena's eyes widened as she put her hands on her hips; they were extremely highlighted by her poofy dress in a leaf green and bleak yellow color mix. _Oh. Wait a minute._

"I never told you that _he_ was the one who brought Isobel to Dad's clinic, did I?" I checked with a careful frown, my forefinger pointing at her.

"Must have slipped your mind," Elena replied through gritted teeth.

"Whoops! Well, he did. I was eight, but I _do_ still remember." I knocked my fist against my skull with a wink, as Elena shook her head.

"Clearly not _everything_ ," she muttered and threw me a stern glance. Okay, message recived; no time for jokes.

"On another note, you look _striking_ in that dress," I commented, hoping to get back in my sister's good graces.

"Thanks." A quick smile passed over her tired face. "Now I'm getting out of it. Care to help me?" Elena turned her head to ask Stefan with a flirtatious gleam in her brown eyes.

"Euw. Go away. I don't wanna know that shit." I waved the loving couple off with a disgusted face, catching Elena's smug smile as she looped her arm with Stefan's to lead him away.

So, with a sigh, I reluctantly made my way back to the crowded Town Square. At least the music had died down now and people were only walking around and socializing with their fellow citizens. Not my thing, but still better. A gray hoodie passing me reminded me of my little brother. And sure enough, when the owner of the hoodie bumped into someone and twirled around to send a glare after them, I was faced with none other than the person occupying my mind.

"Hey! Jer!" I called, only to see my baby bro's eyes widen, before his brows furrowed and he took off in the opposite direction. _Nice._ Thankfully, the crowd was now on my side, as it seemed to thicken around Jeremy's long, scrawny appearance and thus preventing him from disappearing out of my sight. "Okay!" I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back from another escape attempt. "You and I need to have a little chat."

"About all the _vampires_ crawling around in this town, you mean?" Jeremy fumed and tried to roughly rip himself free from my grip. I tightened it.

"Keep your voice down," I warned. "I don't think that one family over there by the barbecue _quite_ heard you." I cocked my head towards the people in question, all the way on the other side of the huge park, which was as busy as a beehive during spring.

Thankfully, Jeremy obeyed; in the process looking like a five year old whose toy had just gotten confiscated, but still.

" _Okay!_ I'll admit, I agree that compelling away your memories of what happened that night might have been a rash decision without too much thought behind it from Elena's part. And too little protest from me," I reluctantly gave, sighing, as my brother stared back at me defiantly, adding a sulking pout. "But a necessary one. Don't fight me!" I told Jer when he opened his mouth to protest. "I _promise_ , neither I nor Elena will ever do the same again. Okay? But she did it for _you_ , Jer. All of it." _There_! A clear and reasonable monologue without any fighting or childish name-calling. Elena would have been proud of me! However, Jeremy still didn't seem convinced.

"What do you mean?" he questioned with a frown.

"Like Elena, I just want you to be happy, Jer," I said, stating the obvious for him. "Don't you feel better, lighter, after what happened?"

"Emptier," was his only answer.

"Fine. I won't try to convince you that it took your pain away," I sighed and threw my hands out in a surrendering gesture, finally releasing my tight grip on Jeremy's shoulder. "But it did. And, honestly, it was probably for the best." Admittedly, _bad move_. At least given the fact of Jer's softening face closing up and turning into stone.

"Well, neither of you will get a chance to do the same again. _Ever!_ Go to hell, Parks. And stay there this time."

I simply rolled my eyes at my baby bro's dramatic outburst as he bumped into my shoulder when moving past me. I could easily have grabbed his arm and twisted it into a locked position behind his back, but physical violence wouldn't exactly help my case here. Backing off it was, then.

And I would've. Hadn't it been for a certain smoldering vampire with jet-black hair and gorgeous blue eyes who just _had_ to intervene.

At first, I only hinted Damon emerging from the crowd to follow Jeremy, who turned a corner to continue down another path between the many stands selling stuffed animals and other family appealing objects. Since I couldn't exactly leave my baby brother to fend for himself – well, I _could_ , but it would be a bad sisterly move from my part, ending with Elena having my head for it – even if it meant that I could dodge Damon for a little longer, my choice was quite obvious.

With a sigh, I rubbed my very tired forehead before making my zigzagging way towards the last place I had hinted the two annoying guys.

Apparently luck was still on my side, since I found them just in time to see Damon forcefully pull my brother back by his arm – clearly, not Jer's day today – in a threatening manner. I wasn't too good at lip-reading, but I could still guess Jeremy's response to the rough arm-pulling.

"Let go of me before I cause a scene."

"You'll be unconscious before you even got a word out," I heard Damon respond. With a last quick but still deep breath, I went to force my arm in-between the two to push them apart.

"And _you'll_ end up with a stake in your heart if you hurt as much as a hair on his bushy head."

"Hey!" Jeremy protested to my comment, but I shoved him back in behind me and locked Damon's gaze with mine. The air surrounding us seemed loaded with electricity as Damon's eyes went from surprised to see me, to looking smug that I'd stopped ignoring him, to finally land on sternly staring me down. By squinting my eyes, I warned him not to do anything stupid.

"You alright?" I tilted my head to ask Jeremy over my shoulder, my gaze never leaving Damon's.

"Yeah."

"Look, Jer. What I'm guessing the _Walking Fuckstick_ here is trying to tell you–" Jeremy's snort, occurring when he tried to smother a laughter, interrupted me. But I carried on nonetheless, pretending like nothing when Damon's look hardened. "–is that acting like a brat towards your family is stupid. Elena definitely doesn't deserve it, but I guess _I_ kinda do."

Jeremy frowned as Damon parted his lips slightly, probably to tell me to shut up. I ignored him and turned around to fully face my brother instead.

"Damon turned Vicki into a vampire, but _I_ was the one who killed her. She was going after both you and Elena and I will _never_ let anything happen to either of you. So be mad all you want, but know the truth. I'm sorry that it happened, but it did and there's no changing it now."

If Jeremy was knocked out of balance by this new information, then he hid it well. His still cold gaze traveled between me and Damon.

"You shouldn't have made me forget…" Jeremy delivered shortly, before simply walking away. I didn't even know to whom that was directed to.

A tired feeling filled my limbs as I watched Jer's back melt with the crowd and disappear. He wasn't even _fun_ to fight with! Not as long as he stuck to his cold, passive anger crap. A reaction, some screaming or another little ' _Go to hell!'_ was really all I was asking for here! Was it too much to hope for? If the conflict was going to continue like _this,_ then I might as well just figure out a way to fix the relationship and stop trying to start fights; Elena would be _overjoyed_. But my backing off strategy wasn't going to work out if the older Salvatore brother kept sticking his nose into my business to defend my honor; or whatever the hell he was doing! I swear, it was like Stefan's knighthood shone through Damon sometimes, but taking on a much more violent form. Speaking of which:

"Was _that_ really necessary?" I sighed and swiveled on my flat heel, facing Damon with my arms folded over my chest.

"He's being a punk," Damon retorted with a scoff.

"'Cause he _is_ one! He's fifteen, for crying out loud!" I exclaimed. "Plus, my relationship with my brother is _none_ of your business. So stay out of it!" I bit off. Damon winced, _almost_ not even detectable, but kept in whatever respond he had in stock by clenching his jaw. I, determined to get at least _one_ reaction out of someone today, decided to poke the dragon a little harder. "You're a jackass!" I spat at him. Sadly, my attempted provoking comment had the very opposite desired effect.

"A jackass that you slept with," Damon smirked, every previous sign of wanting to explode wiped away from his face completely. "Don't you have any better nasty Swedish words to insult me with?" he added teasingly, cocking his head to the side.

"Oh, you asked for it…" I rolled up my imaginary sleeves and prepared to unleash my hurricane of words. But I never got the chance.

"Parker!" FOR THE LOVE OF–! Stefan was met with a glare that should have made him drop dead, but being _undead_ and all he just kept on walking towards us.

" _Bad_ timing, Stef," I grunted out through clenched teeth. Stefan's gaze flew between me and Damon, the rusty wheels behind his green eyes turning as he put two and two together. I could only hope that he hadn't just heard what Damon said. But maybe the sex was no news to him, with him dating Elena the trusting, sharing little rascal.

"Well, a certain person is requesting your presence," Stefan informed me while eyeing his brother cautiously. _Oh, no._ Not _this_ again! Enough with the hero crap already!

"Tell Elena that I'm not her guard dog that comes whenever she calls," I spoke, my insides as chilling as my tone.

"Tell her yourself," Stefan retorted. Oh! Was that sass? From _Stefan_?! Had I gone so long and misjudged the guy? Well, regardless of the new, liable side, the timing could have been better.

Stefan's gaze was pinned on Damon, seeming to await the very moment I would leave the two of them so he could start scolding his older brother. What was it with men and this defending crap? Really, I was just _so_ sick of it.

"You're not back on my list of trustworthy people just yet, _Stef._ " Finally, I managed to avert his attention back to me, Damon's amused gaze following. "But _if_ I am to find my dear little sister in this crowd, then you better hope that the conversation that is to follow," my finger flew between the two brothers, "doesn't get back to me. 'Cause I am SO _done_ with people fighting my battles for me. And if I were to find out that _that's_ what you've been up to here…"

Damon's smirk was erased, whilst something that could only be described as _intimidation_ moved within Stefan's green eyes. _Good._

"Have fun boys," I finished with a sweet smile, leaving the two gaping vampire brothers behind me in the middle of the crowded square.


	29. Saving The Day

"Aren't you gonna answer that?"

"Nope." I shoved my phone back into my pocket roughly.

"Why's that?" Elena carefully inquired, her hands grasping a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee; being related to someone who worked at the Grill sure had its advantages when it came to quick service during the rush hour that came along with a town event.

"Because John's a douche who can't take a hint," I spat and took a large sip from my own coffee, only to spit it out almost immediately when the hot beverage burnt my tongue.

"It's hot," Elena warned. Too little too late.

"I _noticed_."

"Why is he calling you?" my sister kept pushing.

"If I'd answer then I'd know. But since I won't…" Ignoring Elena's furrowed brows, I stretched my neck to spot a passing waitress from our booth tucked into a corner of the big, shady room. After that failed attempt at drinking coffee, I needed a _real_ drink, but no one seemed to notice the outskirts of the Grill. Maybe _that_ had been Elena's plan all along.

"But, Parks," Elena pressited and leaned forward over the table, "what if it's important?" My head snapped back to my sister.

"Since when do you care about what John has to say?" _Normally_ my temper was easily disturbed, but this day had tested my patience more than usually. Thus, I was left feeling like a ticking bomb, threatening to be set off by a mistaken nudge from a stranger; _or_ , in this case, my sister's annoying comments. Then I remembered: Elena had just found out about John being her biological dad _today_. _Of course_ she was extra questioning about anything involving the scum. "Sorry." I shook my head to try and gather my thoughts, waving off the murderous ones. "I'm a little edgy today, might be PMS or something… Look, Elena. I've _never_ discussed John's paternity status to you with him before, so I doubt _that's_ what he's calling about now."

Elena's shoulders slouched a bit as she sank back against the leather seat of the booth, her forefinger trailing the top of her cup absentmindedly. "Right…"

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll answer next time he calls," I told my sister with a roll of my eyes. What didn't one do for family.

"It's fine." Elena waved off. "It's all just a little… _confusing_."

"Tell me about it!" I scoffed. "I might need to draw up a family tree just to keep track of all these family ties. You do realize that Alaric, basically our future uncle if Jenna gets her way, is _also_ your biological stepdad?"

"Oh, don't remind me!" Elena groaned, placing her elbows on the table to lean forwards and massage her temples. Quickly, I moved her cup of coffee out of the way to prevent her curls from being soaked. As Elena banged her head into dark tabletop repeatedly, I surveyed the emptying Grill around us.

"I think the fireworks are about to start," I informed my sister's head as it made contact with the table once more.

As if on cue, Stefan entered through the double doors to sweep his gaze over the Grill, holding up the door for some old woman in the process. She stopped to compliment him and pinch his cheek, having Stefan's smile grow a tad bit strained.

"I'm heading out the back," I told Elena as her forehead took one final hit, her curls a mess from the self-inflicted assault on her head.

"Why?" Her narrowed, warm, brown gaze questioned as she tilted her head up.

"Because your boyfriend is annoying," I explained and slid out from the booth with a nod in Stefan's direction. He had finally managed to shake the old woman and was now waving her off politely. "I'm gonna avoid him."

"We obviously have different taste in guys," Elena muttered, a bitterness sneaking into her voice. _Clearly_ she wasn't over my drama with Damon just yet. Actually, I doubt she'd _ever_ approve of him again.

" _Thankfully_ ," I retorted. "Have fun, just don't get _too_ cozy under the sparkling, exploding lights," I advised her with a strict finger.

"No, sir." Elena made a confirming little salute with her middle- and forefinger.

Flashing her a quick smirk, I scurried off into the opposite direction of Stefan, who was now closing in on the booth with big leaps. He averted a family with two small kids running around, their faces still wet with face paint forming the face of a tiger and a lion respectively. However, it seemed as if Stefan's pant leg became a bit stained as one of the kids practically ran right into him. Stefan just caught the kid to prevent an impact with the stone floor, patting the child's dirty blonde head carefully before moving on; the mother's and father's admiring gazes following his back as he reached Elena, still seated in the booth.

But by that time, I was already ducking behind the bar, slipping through the door leading out to the back and thus escaping the annoying younger Salvatore brother in the process. Only to stop at the top stone step outside with a groan, hauling up my buzzing phone from my back pocket; it was time to finally put an end to the persistent caller.

"What do you want?" I snapped as I slammed the heavy door shut behind me.

"Is Elena with you?"

"She's with Stefan. Wh–"

"Come to Gray's medical practise."

"Why would I–"

" _Now_ , Parker," John cut me off before hanging up. How _dare_ he?!

For just that reason, I actually stormed off to emerge with the crowd, elbowing my way towards the building in question. A light wooden door with golden letters spelling out ' _DR. Grayson Gilbert, M.D'_ on the window met me when I climbed the few steps to rip the door open. A surprised police officer dressed in the usual grey-green uniform gaped at me when I pushed him aside to advance on my uncle by the old enrollment desk.

" _You_ 're not allowed to call me a billion times and then just order me around once I answer, _old man_!" The deputy tried to grab me from behind, my furious state probably giving away the idea that I could punch my uncle at any given moment. "Get off me, Frank!" My elbow tried to meet his stomach, but this man was used to my escaping attempts after countless similar ones many years back during my youth.

"It's okay." John reassured the officer with a wave of his hand, and the strong arms trying to drag me backwards released me. "It's time. Get in position." Frank obeyed, but hesitated with his hand hugging the door handle. The glance he cast over his shoulder was met with a glare from me.

"Anita says hi," he spoke after another moment of hesitation.

"Well, tell her I miss her casseroles," I bit back. It was hard being angry and telling someone to forward a compliment at the same time, yet I tried.

Frank threw a look John's way. "Be nice, Parka."

"Says the man who violently tried to drag _me_ away just now," I yelled after his broad back disappearing out into the crowded square. As the door slammed shut behind him, I turned back towards my uncle to glare at him instead, my arms folded tightly over my chest. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Saving yours, Elena's and everyone else's lives," John informed as he moved closer to the old, narrow, white enrolment desk, where an antique-looking, squarish box stood; all whilst retrieving an equally seemingly old pocket watch thingy from the pocket of his suit jacket.

Hang on a minute! Wasn't that the device Elena had given Isobel? Apparently consisting the power to hurt vampires or whatever; I hadn't really payed that much attention to my sister when she'd tried explaining the whole thing to me. But what I _did_ remember was a mentioning about Bonnie having taken away the device's ability to harm any vampires, before Elena gave it to her birth mother. Something John didn't know.

"Whatever plan you have, it's gonna fail," I warned my uncle's back as he removed a small golden cogwheel from the pocket watch thingy, ready to place it in the construction consisting of similar wheels within the box.

"The tomb vampires are planning an attack on the Founding families tonight, just as the fireworks start." Wait _WHAT_?

I peered back over my shoulder to watch the dark sky outside of the office. Thankfully, no sparkling lights yet showed. "Elena–"

"Is going to be safe and sound thanks to this. We're ready to round them up," John informed me confidently, except…

The first ball of sparkling lights being fired spread out on the black sky as the crowd began to cheer.

 _No!_ Elena!

I was about to run back out to the square, my uncle's voice calling my name, when another familiar figure instead entered and blocked my path. He stopped momentarily when noticing me, but then simply shrugged to peer over my head at John.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Damon spoke in a menacing voice.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do," John retorted.

As Damon was heading right at my uncle, I stepped in the way to block his path. With one hand hand placed on Damon's firm chest, I tried to push him back. John certainly wasn't my favorite person in the world, but he was still family, meaning that Damon hurting him would be a problem. However, I didn't have to try and keep the Salvatore away from the old Gilbert for much longer, as a clicking sound from the device behind me was followed by Damon grabbing his head, collapsing on the floor with a cry of pain. What the hell? Hadn't Bonnie…? _OH NO!_

Cursing, I lunged to try and keep Damon steady and as standing as possible as an unknown force or sound continued to pain him. After I'd managed to wrap my arm around his shoulders and keep him standing on his knees, I turned my attention back to John. He was just in the middle of the task of pulling out a syringe with a sharp needle dripping off, presumably, vervain.

"John, whatever you're about to do–" Damon worming in my grip as he kept crying out in pain momentarily broke my concentration. Fumbling, Damon's hand found mine to squeeze it, _hard_ , as his body collapsed on the floor. "You're gonna be okay," I reassured him, gently stroking the hair away from his forehead, even though I knew that he couldn't hear a single word I said due to all that screaming. I was too distracted with keeping the vampire together to first notice when John forced the sharp needle into Damon's arm. Just after John had pressed the liquid substance into Damon's system, did I react. "What the hell!"

Quickly, Damon's cries faded as the vervain began to take effect, his body going limp, along with his hand's hard grip loosening around mine. Still, I continued squeezing it back anyway, maybe as a way of making myself feel better.

"This is for the best, Parker," John spoke as he straightened up from his kneeling position next to Damon, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. It was only then that I became aware of my pounding heart and my blurry vision, something wet seeping out from my eye to roll down my cheek. A tear? Really? I didn't care _that_ much about Damon! Did I?

"Stop." I grabbed John's arm and pulled him back from going to call on one of the officer's, probably to drag Damon only _god_ knew where. "You can't do this," I seethed, anger instantly replacing my hurting heart.

"This is for the best. For _everyone_. This world needs to be ridded of vampires. Starting with _him_ and Stefan," John spoke in his usual collected way as he pointed at Damon's unconscious body on the floor. Reluctantly, I released Damon's hand to rise up, ready to fight my uncle on this.

"If you wanna get to him–"

"I will not fight you, Parker. Nor will I have the deputies drag you away."

"It's the only way I'll go," I said flatly, readying my fists at my sides as I placed my legs far apart from each other to stand stably. Ready for battle.

"No. Not after you've listened to me. This clearing of the tomb vampires is necessary. Anyone of them could have forwarded Elena's existence."

I frowned. "And why would that matter?"

"Haven't you ever thought about _why_ Elena looks _exactly_ like Katherine? Or did you think it was just a pure coincidence? It's more than that. I will not let Elena's life be endangered, and as long as any vampire who knows of her existence lives, then I have failed that mission." John clearly wasn't giving me the whole picture, but whatever he was hiding would have to wait for later. Time to bring out another card.

"So your plan to protect your _daughter_ is by killing her boyfriend, one of the people she loves most in this world?" John flinched slightly at my words, so I decided to take a step closer to bang in the meaning behind them even more. "Hasn't she lost enough already? You lost a brother, Elena and I our parents. Enough with the death in Elena's life!"

"Parenting is about doing what's best for your child, even if they don't agree with you," John argued.

" _No_. Parenting is about preparing your kid for the world they'll have to face alone later in life. Letting them make their _own_ mistakes and learn from them. Killing off Stefan and his brother–" My hand gestured back at Damon for John's gaze to follow. "–is _not_ doing any of that. Then you're just being overprotective. You wanna know _why_ you're not the favorite uncle? Because you don't listen to anyone else and go about your own business no matter the consequences!" I wasn't sure if this was the right way to go about it when convincing John, but since his determined face seemed to fall more and more the longer I spoke, it had to give something. "Let me leave with Damon and find Stefan, and I won't tell Elena that her _father_ tried to kill the one person who's made her want to live her life again. Deal?" I couldn't believe that I was _actually_ trying to save _Stefan's_ life as well! But when it came to what I was willing to do for my family, there were no limits. Now, _Damon_ on the other hand… Well, crap, maybe I actually, genuinely cared about him. But that was a problem for later.

John's jaw played as it clenched and unclenched. The conflict on his face easily detectable as his gaze flew around to peer out at the square repeatedly. "Fine. Go. Before I change my mind."

After a nod, I instantly shot back to grab Damon's arm, pulling him up from the floor by it to wrap it around my neck, trying to keep his entire lifeless body standing up.

"One more thing!" John called as I was about to start my heavy work of dragging Damon out from this place. My uncle came to the senseless vampire's left side to help me move him through the building towards the backdoor. "The efforts I've done here tonight might not be enough," John told me through grunts of strain. "No matter what happens after this, you need to promise me that you'll keep Elena safe." John almost dropped Damon when we reached the back door, causing me to stop and throw a glare at him. "I know you value your sister's opinion and free-choices highly, but I beg of you, Parker. For what's to come; keep her safe, no matter what she wants." Why was he being so _extra_ sketchy today? Had the threatening vampire buisness burst an artery in John's brain, causing him to speak so vaguely?

"What are you talking about?"

"Just promise that you'll keep Elena safe. She trusts you. You can influence her way of thinking in ways I never can." John's tone had grown urgent now. He constantly checked over his shoulder at the room behind us. Maybe they were bringing all the tomb vampires _here?_ They had to kill them somehow; what better way of doing that than with _fire_? A burning building was an accident the press wouldn't pry around in.

"But–"

"Promise me," John pushed, reminding me of Elena's persistence earlier today. But maybe with a little more panic on the side.

"I promise," I reluctantly gave in with a nod.

Relief immediately washed over his face. "Good."

The front door to the medical practise swung open, revealing a bunch of police officers dragging unconscious vampires through the room towards the basement. My view of them was limited, but I managed to glimpse the Mayor's familiar figure, as well as the raven-black curls I had learnt to recognize as Anna's: Jeremy's crush. He would have an absolute meltdown if she died.

"Wait–" I took a step forward, only to be pushed back by my uncle.

"I let you take Damon, that's enough."

"But, Jer's–" I struggled against John's arms, held out widely to prevent me from passing.

" _Go_."

There was no room for another argument, I realized when John's stern gaze met mine. He had stretched far enough to allow Damon to go free, a vampire that he _hated_. Anna was a lost cause.

 _Sorry, Jer._

When I silently dragged Damon out through the backdoor, I caught John peering back at Anna over his shoulder with a gleam to his eyes I knew all too well. Damon wasn't going to die tonight, but another special vampire would. _Anna would_. I couldn't say I felt sorry for the girl when my uncle closed the door in my face, a last glimpse of his determined expression. Jeremy would undoubtedly be heartbroken, but it wasn't always possible to save everybody. Believe me, I knew as much. However, Elena's heart would remain intact and free from heartbreak after tonight, as would mine. Selfish as I may have been, that was enough.

In front of me, pinned between me and the exterior of the red, brick wall, Damon slowly started to regain consciousness, his previous limp body beginning to move around while he groaned slightly. I grabbed his chin to still his moving head.

"Keep quiet," I commanded, wrapping Damon's arm around my neck once again, before beginning to lead him away from the building that was soon about to burst into flames.

We hadn't walked very far when Stefan came flashing around the corner. He reduced his speed as soon as he saw Damon leaning against me.

"I could use that vamp-strength of yours right about now," I groaned when Damon's movement after seeing Stefan nearly caused him to fall over.

In the blink of an eye, Stefan sped over to help me keep the older Salvatore up properly. Suddenly, Bonnie popped up out of nowhere as well. So _now_ it was convenient for everyone to come and help me!

"All clear here, Bonnie-Bear," I reassured her as Stefan and I moved Damon away from the building, considerably faster than I'd done all by myself moments earlier.

"She didn't deactivate–" Damon only managed breathe out the words, still weak from the vervain.

"And I'm _sure_ you can all have a nice little chat and work out those problems _later_ ," I turned my head to the right to tell him sternly, my strict face inches away from the side of Damon's. "For now, let's just get you away from here."

"Stefan!" Oh, _COME ON!_ Elena came running around the corner, slowing down when she noticed the odd scene before her. A weak Damon being dragged between myself and Stefan, Bonnie standing a few feet away from us, biting her lip. My sister's gaze rapidly shot to the witch. "What did you do?"

"More like what _didn't_ she do," I muttered.

"I'm sorry that I lied to you," Bonnie apologized. Elena's jaws clenched as she maintained the hurt, puppy-eyed look when surveying her friend. I knew my sister well enough to confidently claim that whatever dispute the two girls were about to have, would blow over in a few days. For now, we _still_ needed to get out of here. A feeling that John wasn't going to give up so easily on killing the Salvatores was beginning to creep up on me.

"Oh my god! What happened?" Elena turned to ask me instead of staring at Bonnie like a hurt, sad puppy.

"Yes, what _did_ happen?" Stefan chimed in.

"I'll give you both the full, detailed and nuanced explanation _later._ But for now, can we _please_ get away from the burning building filled with dying vampires?" I cocked my head back towards the medical practise, and _finally_ everyone seemed to understand the situation. Took them long enough!

As everyone sat out moving, my strength joined with Stefan's easily keeping Damon upright, with Elena and Bonnie leading the way – firmly keeping their distance – I might have only imagined it, but I could've _sworn_ that just then, Damon weakly chuckled at me.

* * *

The cold, collected feeling that always seemed to fill my body in a pressing situation didn't fade away until I, much later, sat with a glass of vodka placed on the table before me. The noise from a group of teenagers playing pool, their sticks hitting the balls with loud clicks, surrounded me, along with every other voice in the Grill.

From across the booth, Elena stared at me taking a deep gulp from the transparent liquid. Relishing in the burning sensation as it made its way down my throat, I thought back on how it used to feel a lot worse when I was younger and new to the drinking game. A life full of experiencing my ' _hobby'_ had hardened me in that area.

As soon as we'd been in the clear earlier, both Stefan and Damon had bailed using their vamp-speed, leaving me behind to babysit Elena – not the words that would've been used, but I knew the _real_ meaning – and feeling hurt. _Who_ was it that had saved the day tonight? Hmm? That's right! _I_ had! So why was I stuck on watch duty?

"John admitted it," Elena broke me out of my grouchy thoughts.

"Hmm?" I raised my gaze from my empty glass as I continued twirling it around in my hand.

"I confronted him about it, that he's my father, I mean. He fessed up. _Sorta_." Elena's nails scratched the surface of the table.

"Well, that's…good," I tried out.

"I don't even know how I feel about it any more." She sighed and sunk further back into her seat.

"Maybe just don't think about it too much. Gives a pretty unnecessary headache."

"Yeah…" Elena mumbled.

I, on the other hand, not taking my own advice, couldn't help but think about John's words as Elena picked at her cuticles, her doe eyes troubled by her family ties and a best friend that had betrayed her. What was to come next? What did John know? Something told me that the tomb vampires would fade in comparison to this new threat he had indirectly spoke of, but it was too soon to tell.

"Alaric took Jer home," Elena spoke up to inform me.

"Good. Hey, look." I dropped the fiddling with my glass to grab my sister's hand, preventing her from destroying her cuticles anymore. "I'm pretty sure Anna, Jer's crush slash girlfriend slash I don't even know," I educated Elena's creased forehead, "is dead. John killed her."

My sister withdrew her hand from my grip and sat up straight, her mouth gaping as she searched for the right words. "How can you… Could she… Are you sure?"

"Positive," I told her with a nod. "Just thought you should know."

"Hmm…" With Elena was lost deep in her thoughts, processing this new information, she didn't even notice as her vampire boyfriend entered the Grill.

"I'll be right back," I spoke, getting no reaction from my sister besides her frown intensifying a teeny bit as I stood up.

"Hmyeah," she might have also uttered.

" _You_." My finger pointed strictly at Stefan as I met him halfway between the booth and the bar. "You owe me for that."

"Yes, of course. Thank you for saving Damon," Stefan said, humbly, with an added little nod. "No matter what awful thing he's done in the past, he is still my brother."

"Yeah, _that's_ not what I meant. But thanks." I gestured with my thumb over my shoulder, towards Elena. "You left me with _her_ to take Damon home, or whatever it was that called on your attention."

"Oh, right," Stefan remembered as the corner of his mouth slightly twitched upwards at the sight of my sister. "Actually, Damon left. I have absolutely no idea where he went."

"Okay, whatever." I quickly shrugged off the betrayed feeling. I had saved Damon; couldn't I get a _little_ gratitude? Ignoring the other person in this 'relationship' of ours was _my_ thing. But I could find and yell at him later. First…

"Okay, so here's the thing, Stef," I sighed as I clasped my hands together, forcing back his attention from Elena. "I don't particularly like you, since your mere existence poses a threat to my sister's life. _But_ I was willing to see past that tonight. Elena is happy again thanks to you, and who am I to take that away from her? So listen carefully." I lowered my voice slightly, making it sound more menacing as I leaned my head forward to threateningly meet Stefan's green gaze. "I will allow the two of you to continue dancing on meadows, surrounded by rainbows and butterflies, as long as you stop with the whole protecting shenanigan. I do _not_ need a knight in shining armor! If you _have_ to be that for someone, then do it for _Elena._ You stay out of my business, I stay out of yours. Everyone's happy! Okay?" I extended my hand for Stefan. He looked down at it for a moment, numerous responses flashing by in his eyes. Ultimately, he grasped it, to shake it firmly.

"Deal. But I do hope we can grow to trust one another in the future," Stefan said, earnestly. _How cute._

"One can dream. But I think that I'm a little too alike Damon for that, since _one_ Damon in your life is plenty enough to spare."

Stefan chuckled as I released his hand. "You might be right about that."

"Just let Elena make up her _own_ decision," I sighed as I deftly changed the topic. "I'm all for that right, but something tells me that I'm not going to be able to be the person who defends that in the near future." I felt my gaze grow distant as my musings from before swept in over me. _John and his cryptic ways…_ With a shrug, I snapped out of it. "So take my place, will ya?"

"Of course." Stefan nodded. If he'd noticed my temporary spacing out, he didn't comment on it. Good guy.

"Good." I glanced back over my shoulder at Elena, who was watching us intently. As soon as her gaze met mine, she pretended to be super busy with twirling my empty glass around her forefinger, whistling, all whilst watching the lamps in the ceiling with great interest. _Discreet_. "Tell her that I had to go, will ya." I turned back to Stefan. "Saving lives is _exhausting!"_

"Don't you worry. I'll be sure she knows of your tired state due to the heroism."

"Euw, I hate that word." I scrunched up my nose in distaste. "Just tell her to call me tomorrow, or something."

"No problem."

"Thanks." I forced a tight-lipped smile. A potential friendship with Stefan had seemed far away earlier today, but the guy grew on you. Plus, he was always fun to mess with.

Ready to continue my drinking at home, I threw my jacket on as I stepped out of the Grill into the chilly air. Only to instantly jump back when I almost ran into a familiar chest.

"Damon? What the hell! I thought you bailed." I shook my head at him. "Scaring someone like that isn't very nice." But my heart was racing for all the wrong reasons. "Where'd you go?" I passed the question by casually as I walked around him, releasing my hair from within my jacket and placing my sunglasses in the V-neck of my shirt.

Damon sped to stand before me, thus blocking my path; which seemed to be his favorite activity. "I went to see Jeremy. Made a failed and feeble attempt at doing the right thing."

"Please be less vague," I scoffed as I tried to move past him again, but was sidestepped. "What are you–"

"Thank you." Finally, I met Damon's blue gaze, having avoided it until now, fearing what I might spot within it. There was no sign humour to detect, but instead a new seriousness. _Sincerity._ "You saved my life tonight," Damon continued, his hand somehow finding mine to entwine our fingers. I watched his movements silently. "Thank you, I mean it." A shaky sigh escaped me; how could such an easy action feel so good? "Somewhere along the way you decided that I was worth saving. And I wanted to thank you for that as well."

"Anytime." It came out as nothing more than a whisper. My eyes were locked at Damon's lips as a storm of emotions roamed through me.

The fact was, that I didn't do love. After being burned by it in the past, I had no wish to again experience all the pain that came with. Elena, Jeremy and Jenna were my only exceptions of getting attached and care. Well, until _now_. But as much as a part of me wanted nothing more than to repeat that steamy night once again, another wished to run away in the opposite direction. Leave town and never return. Caring was scary. It left you vulnerable. The question was: was I ready for that?

"Eh! Screw it!" I muttered and grabbed the collar of Damon's black shirt, pulling him closer towards me to eliminate the space between us, _finally_ allowing our lips to meet.

If I'd thought this might catch him a bit off guard, then he quickly recovered; wrapping his arms around my back to pull me even closer. The attempted quick kiss grew long and hard very quickly, my body reacting by feeling as if a ton load of fireworks were being set off inside, making every inch of me spark. Everything around melted away, leaving only Damon, his lips and body pressed firmly against me. I was beginning to feel so lightheaded from it all, that I just _had_ to pull back a little and catch my breath. Our foreheads and noses stayed connected, while I breathed heavily against his lips. When I felt as if I was no longer at risk of being completely dissolved, I leaned my head back a little so I could look into his eyes.

"Seemed to be about time for that," I stated with a smirk. My hands seemed to fit perfectly as they laid clasped at the nape of Damon's neck.

"Took you long enough," he mumbled back, grinning widely in that signature wry way. With his hands firmly holding the sides of my face, he let our lips meet and crash together again.

The world withered away completely this time, leaving my heart dancing in my chest.

* * *

When I sat foot in my apartment and dropped my keys into a ceramics bowl with a brown pattern, I was still walking on sunshine. With every inch of me buzzing, I couldn't help but wonder why hadn't I kissed Damon sooner?

Then, I remembered: all that complicated stuff to come along on the side. Like the crazy, vampire ex-girlfriend of his, the vampirism, my sister's _strong_ disapproval – not that I cared – as well as the fact that I hadn't told Damon about the dream/memory thing yet. But _nothing_ was going to bring me down from this high tonight!

Now, why wasn't the smoldering, smoking hot vampire with me now, one might wonder. Breaking apart the kiss had been hard – nearly impossible, actually – but I could be _very_ persuasive when I wanted to be. Especially when laying out the argument that I had to work incredibly early at the Grill the very next day. The downside of _not_ working during a big town event: getting the bad work hours for the next couple of weeks. Reluctantly, Damon had let me go. And, just as reluctantly, I had left. Something I would probably come to regret later as I laid to fall asleep.

But now, removing my jacket, I threw it onto one of my light grey-blue armchairs in the living room area with a happy twirl. Taking a few dancing steps further into the apartment, I stopped abruptly.

Something was wrong.

Not the blinds being closed, I had left them like that before leaving this morning. Not the room bathing in complete darkness. Nor the sign that someone had tried to clean up the place a bit; that was my own weak attempt last night.

No, it was a presence that did not belong here. My thoughts immediately ran to the tomb vampires. Maybe one had managed to escape? But I cast that aside quickly as unrealistic; none of them would go after me when there were so many more important members of the Founding families alive and well.

Silently, I pulled out a drawer in my kitchenette to retrieve a large, sharp knife before, just as quietly, moving further into the room. The sudden light from a floor lamp beside the armchair by the window lit up, almost blinding me, but I was prepared with the knife in my hand nonetheless.

"That won't be necessary," a monotone voice spoke up, and out of sheer shock I nearly dropped the knife. I stared at my armchair in disbelief. _No!_ It couldn't be!

"Hunter?" I questioned with squinted eyes. The olive-skinned figure unfolded himself from my chair as he rose up, re-buttoning his grey suit coat. Ebony black hair was slicked into place, and from the oblong face a pair of narrowed, dark-brown eyes stared back at me. His thin lips remained pressed together, whilst mine was forming the shape of a large O.

"Parker," he greeted with a nod. "I'm afraid I come carrying bad news. You can't keep running from your demons forever."

* * *

 **A/N: SEASON ONE OF THE VAMPIRE DIARIES DONE! WIHOOOOOOooooooo...!**


	30. When All Was Well

The nineteenth call in the last hour showed up on the small display of my ancient phone, and I pushed it away immediately with nothing more than a sigh. Whatever petty teenage problem my sister was experiencing would simply have to wait for later.

An attempted suppression of a chuckle sounded next to me. Turning my head in its direction, I cut a sharp glare at the figure leaning against the blue car beside me.

"Shut up."

"I didn't say anything!" Jack defended with a raise of arms in an innocent gesture.

"You were thinking," I turned my head back to face my phone's display as another call popped up, "it's annoying." Pressing it away, I checked the time. "What's taking them so long?" Frustration had begun to stir up within me, and I tapped my phone against my dark blue jeans as a way of venting it.

"It's an important meeting with the big shots, these things take time." Jack ran his hand over his back slicked, brown mane, as he swept his gaze over our surroundings. With a sigh, I turned to look at the large – normally abandoned – storage building before us.

One would think that when an important group of powerful people met, they'd do it someplace fancy, like at a penthouse in the middle of a city; drinking cocktails on a roof terrace with a marvelous view. But not these guys. They preferred getting together in the middle of the desert in a dilapidated structure with tumbleweeds rolling around over the dry ground. Thankfully, it wasn't sunny today – the heat was more than enough to take already – grey clouds instead occupying every inch of the sky.

Sweat running down my back, I tried to fan some cooler air into the clinging fabric of my striped t-shirt. At least the light-washed jeans jacket around my shoulders was cooler than my usual brown leather one, given that I had also rolled up its sleeves all the way to my elbows.

"I _bet_ they have air-condition in there," I muttered, running my hand over my bare neck to make sure that none of my fluffy hair had loosened itself from my ponytail. This humidity sure didn't help with the usual mess.

"How much?" Jack shot back immediately, rubbing his hands together with glee.

"Jeez, man! You need to get a hold on that gambling thing already!"

"Yeah, maybe." He shrugged, but kept eyeing me expectantly, waiting for my bid.

"It was a joke," I clarified with a roll of my eyes.

"Oh." Jack's demeanor instantly shifted to grumpy as he turned away to glare at the building, crossing his arms.

"Mature," I scoffed, my hand going in through the open car window to find something to fan myself with; like a magazine, or _anything_! Jack muttered a barely audible response, which I was rather glad I didn't catch the details of. "Do they realize that some people have a life!" I exclaimed, swiftly retrieving my hand back from its task of shoveling through the car to also take on Jack's sulking position. Not a _single_ piece of a potential fan in the _bloody_ car.

" _You do realize that I can hear your every word?"_

With a sigh, my hand retrieved back to shuffle around for a bit, before finding the cause of the sound. A black, walkie-talkie alike transmitter, which became silent when I pressed in the button to answer.

"Do _you_ realize that I'm bored out of my mind?"

" _No one forced you to come along,"_ the low voice responded, a tad bit annoyed.

"Hunter did!"

"Give me that–" Jack grabbed the device from me before I could keep arguing, holding me away from him by an arm's length as I struggled to retrieve it. "You two done soon?"

" _There were some complications…"_ Jack and I shared a look, as I quickly stopped the fighting attempts of getting back the transmitter.

"What kind of complications?" Jack asked, cautiously.

A shuffling sound pierced through the humid air before a new voice sounded. " _The kinds that need you to get into position."_

Instantly, Jack threw me the device and sprinted around the car to the driver's seat. Just as fast, I caught the hot piece of plastic before jumping into the vehicle as well. The car took off the moment both doors were closed.

Whilst Jack kept an eye on the sandy area before us lacking all roads, I turned around to lean back and lift up the seat in the back. A hidden storage compartment laid place there, and this time I was actually faced with what I was searching for immediately.

The car made a drastic U-turn, my chest being pressed against the back of my seat roughly, squeezing my boobs flat.

"Careful!" I scolded Jack over my shoulder.

"Just get it already!" he bit back.

Finally, my hands grasped around the briefcase, which had opened and spread out its content all over the place. However, I quickly managed to grab the barrel of a black, shiny weapon and pull out the other separate pieces as well, one by one.

"Hurry up!" Jack urged, the car's speed not reducing one bit.

"Quit rushing me!" I yelled back, assembling the different parts to make up the needed weapon. A M26 rifle; too advanced to even be out on the ' _private'_ gun market here in the US, but that of course hadn't stopped the government or other non-attached organizations from finding and using them.

The final piece snapped in place, and I gave Jack a thumbs up before circling my forefinger. With a confirming nod, he did a drastic turn of his car as I placed the gun's barrel to stick out from the open car window. The strong airstream created by our high speed whistled as it blew by around the edges of the pipe. The storage building came into view as I closed my right eye, while placing my left eye to spy through a small, round display on the weapon, giving me a perfect, crystal clear, hawk vision of the sight before me.

Three men were standing by a gap in the exterior that once must have been a large window. Two of them I recognized; one slim body dressed in his signature grey suit, the other pale, piece of muscles with a shaved head wearing all black and a familiar leather jacket. But the figure in the middle was new; he was short and seemed old, judging by his posture and grey crew cut, stiffly gazing between the other two men. Even from this distance, that fossil of a man gave me uncomfortable shivers; maybe it was the military uniform.

In a matter of seconds, I'd registered the details of the situation and sight, positioning the gun a teeny bit to the right. Sucking in a breath, my finger grazing the trigger, I felt my muscles tighten, before taking the shot. A quick, microscopic movement of the pipe downwards, and another bullet was fired.

" _Go!_ "

The car sped away just as I managed to glimpse the old man's head shoot back, before his body fell back against the floor. New figures swarmed in like vultures gathering around a carcass; all dressed in similar uniforms.

Securing the weapon, I dragged it back into the car. Quickly after, I closed the window to dampen the sound of the howling wind caused by our racing speed. Speaking of racing; my heart seemed to have decided to do the same.

The silence settling inside the vehicle was almost deafening compared to the previous wind. Sinking back in my seat, I stared out the windshield at the empty desert ahead.

"And now we wait," Jack sighed, checking the rearview mirror; probably to spot for pursuers.

 _Radio silence._

As soon that rasping little device on the dashboard sounded with one of the two familiar voices, I would most probably scream out of pure joy. But for now, sitting and waiting was all there was to do. A mission like this was always risky; with no guarantee of getting out alive. With my heart still hammering against my ribs, almost hurting, I tried taking a deep breath and holding it to force my pulse to decrease. This _always_ happened; my body was cool and collected in the needed moment, but then freaked out afterwards.

"You okay?" Jack questioned with a quick glance. I could only shake my head slightly as a response. "Was that the first time since–"

"No," I let out my breath, feeling the tense muscles around my shoulders and neck relax. "That wasn't the first time I killed someone since the last time we were out in the action." Vicki's grey face covered in popping veins flashed before my eyes. "But it _was_ the first time in forever since using one of _these._ " I patted the gun that still laid in my lap, before beginning to disassembling it to tuck all the different pieces back into the case.

"You did good," Jack encouraged.

"I got him," I stated, loosening the barrel to make sure it was clean and empty.

"Like I said: _you did good_."

"It's not the killing that bothers me."

"I know. It's the reason." Jack sighed and gave me a quick once-over. "But you're still the best freaking sniper I've ever met. And _that's_ coming from a former soldier who served in Afghanistan!"

"Your snipers sucked," I commented, having read through several files covering just that topic when meeting Jack, so many years ago.

"Shut up!" Jack tried to elbow me, but I was faster and dodged to press my body against the car's door. "Little Miss Perfect…" he added, muttering, not quite hiding the smile spreading on his tanned face.

* * *

"Still no word?" I placed two cups of hot coffee on the table before Jack, who sat in the red leather seats of a booth he'd chosen, spinning his phone around in his hand.

"It would be too soon anyway." He glanced at a large clock on the wall behind me. "They still have a few hours before they pass the time-limit."

"Right. I'm heading out for a bit." I cocked my head back at the door. He gave a confirming nod.

The tiny, filthy diner by the side of the road was nearly empty, except for a tired, bored waitress with an afro of red hair counting the tip, two lovesick teenagers making out in a dark corner and a large group of truckers drinking and generally being loud. But the lack of customers wasn't so strange, given the day was nearing into afternoon.

 _Okay, Elena_. I sat my foot outside on the sandy parking lot, strolling towards the gas station next to the diner as I hauled my phone up. _Let's see your reason for calling on my attention a_ billion _times._

After listening to her messages, I could state that her reasons were legit. But as I tried to call the woman back, there was no answer. Huffing, I tapped my foot against the ground, sand whirling up in the breeze growing stronger to create large clouds of the dust, which swirled around in the air and temporarily blinded anyone unlucky enough to stand with their eyes wide open.

The call went to inform me that this person wasn't available at the moment. Mimicking the monotone voice in a mocking way, I grunted and stomped my feet clad in proper work boots against the sand. Hanging up, I dialed her number again.

"Pick up the phone, damn you," I muttered.

The sun was shining through hazy clouds, drying up the air even more, the heat beginning to grow unbearable. Even if the ball of fire was soon to set, moving closer and closer towards the empty horizon, it seemed to have decided to make every moment until then _insufferably_ hot.

"Hello?" A voice _finally_ answered.

"Elena!"

"Parks!" my sister exclaimed on the other end. "Thank god you called–"

"Why didn't you pick up?" I interrupted.

"Excuse me? _You_ haven't returned any of _my_ calls during the past _two_ days!" Okay, point taken.

"So what! I usually do that. You _don't. Ever._ So what's going on?"

Elena sighed. "I don't even know where to begin!"

"I got your messages, so how about you start with Caroline turning?" I suggested tightly.

"As I said, she got into a car accident and Damon healed her," Elena said, simply repeating what ten of her frantic messages had already informed me of.

"And then…" I urged.

"I don't know." Elena frustratedly blew out a breath. I could even picture her shaking her head as a way of gathering herself. "Care said that someone who looked exactly like _me_ killed her, which means–"

"Katherine," I finished for her. Pinning my eyes shut, I pinched the bridge of my nose to keep myself occupied. If that bitch was back…

"Exactly. But that wasn't all she did."

"Yeah, I heard," I scoffed. "Cutting off John's fingers. Really?"

"It was pretty disgusting," Elena admitted, with a shuddering noise.

"But you kept your head cool and called an ambulance, I'm proud of you sis!"

"Thanks…" Elena's voice tuned out, indicating that she had something more on her mind but didn't dare speak the words.

"What else?" I pushed, kicking my dark brown work boots through the sand to set off another cloud of dust.

"Damon nearly drove a stake through my heart today," Elena finally got out, blurting out so quickly I nearly didn't even catch it. I froze, about to release some nasty curse words directed towards the vampire in question, when I instead replayed the sentence in my head to notice something else.

" _Nearly?_ "

"He didn't. He stopped," Elena explained.

"Why was he even trying to do that in the first place?" I sighed, going to massage my forehead. I was gone for not even _two_ days, and all hell breaks loose!

Nothing but silence came through the speaker.

"Elena…?"

After another quiet moment, she let out a sigh. "He was trying to get to Caroline."

"Oh. I see. Newbie vampire causing havoc? At the carnival, right?" Elena's grumbling silence was enough. "Then he probably had the righ–"

"But she didn't deserve to die!" my sister snapped.

"She's a vampire now!" I shot back, not really sure why I was defending Damon. "Look at what happened the last time someone turned in this town. Look at Vicki!"

"That's different, she was a drug addict! This is _Caroline_ , Parks!" Elena pleadingly reasoned.

"So when it's one of _your_ friends it's fine, but when it's Jer's–"

"That's not what I meant–" Elena cut off.

"Sure it was," I returned the favor with.

"Parks…" She sighed once more. "This isn't how I wanted this conversation to go. I only meant that Damon showed some humanity today. For the first time in _forever_!"

"So?"

"Well, I guess I have _you_ to thank for that," Elena spoke, more softly now.

"Hmm?" I let out, trying to make sure I got that right.

"You're the one who unlocked it," my sister put it simply.

"Or _maybe_ he just didn't kill you because you look exactly like Katherine," I suggested.

"Parks, don't think like that," Elena tried to defend, sounding as trustworthy as only she was able to.

"Why not? You don't like Damon and you don't like the… _thing_ he and I have going on. Why would you try to defend his actions?"

"Because I _know_ it, Parks. You're right, I don't like Damon. At all. Not after everything he's done. But I can't ignore the way he looks at you when he thinks no one's around to notice. And I recognized that look."

"From Stefan?" I scoffed.

"Among others," Elena admitted. "And from you, and mom. It's the look of someone who loves you unconditionally. It's the best thing in the world."

"Elena," I began with a sigh, "love is–"  
"You're not there yet," Elena interrupted. "I get it. But when you are…" She sighed, and I could tell how much it took for her to muster up the next part. "I'm not gonna stand in your way. It's your life and you're right, I don't have any say in who you choose to be with." Well. _That_ certainly took an interesting turn.

"Thanks?" I trailed off.

"Just returning the favor after what you said to Stefan," Elena explained, her beam even detectable through my phone _and_ the bad signal.

"He squealed." I gritted my teeth. That little–!

"We share everything with each other," Elena interrupted my murderous thoughts. "It was a really nice gesture. Minus the threats."

"Yeah, I guess."

At the sound of a reluctant door opening, I turned around to see a lean figure emerging from the diner, a phone to his ear as the wind blew his slicked back mane into a mess. "Look, Elena, I gotta go."

"Wait! Where are you?" my sister demanded, suddenly remembered the beginning of our conversation. "What are you doing?"

"I'll call you back later." I hung up and cut off my name being uttered mid-way. Expectantly, I watched Jack as he approached with an unreadable expression, all emotions turned off.

"Yeah…. Mhm…. I– What? Okay, got it." Jack handed me the phone. At my raised brows, I received nothing but a vague shake of his head.

"Hello?"

"Bad news." As always, Hunter got right to the point.

I sighed. "Oh, what _now?_ "

"The attempt of finding _his_ location was unsuccessful." Instantly, my heart sank in my chest. "But we were able to confirm the intel."

"Which you already expected to be true," I scoffed.

"I know that you're tired–" Hunter began, in an admonished manner.

" _Tired?"_ I snapped. "Oh, I'm SORRY mister Big Shot! Is my mood bothering your _hard_ work of gathering intel on the guy who's going to try and kill me right after he's wiped out my _entire_ family? Well, _EXCUSE_ ME THEN!"

"Park–" the collected voice tried again.

"You show up at my apartment after the promise that I'd _never_ have to hear from _any_ of you again! And then you drag me out into the middle of _nowhere_! All while my family is still in danger back home, _without_ me there to–"

"PARKER!"

With my jaws snapping shut, I shifted into a grumpy silence. Hunter rarely snapped, but when he did it was never a good thing to be the reason for it. He took a calming breath on the other end, before continuing as if I hadn't just given him the scolding of his life.

"I understand that this information brings you no comfort, but it's a step in the right direction. All we had so far were rumours, now we can be sure and take certain precautions."

"Such as?" I grunted.

"Making sure that you and your family are being monitored for safe–"

"No."

Hunter sighed, trying to hide his annoyance. "Parker–"

" _No_! You said it yourself, who knows which agents are faithful and which aren't. I'm not risking that any intel about who is part of my closest family gets back to _him._ Not happening."

"Fair point," Hunter admitted. "But then I'm afraid that I have no other advice to send you back home with, besides the urge for you to watch your back."

"Always." I nodded.

"Jack will give you a phone." On cue, the tanned man next to me – who had remained completely silent during my eruption – hoisted up a brand new, shiny smartphone with a touch screen and everything from the inner pocket of his navy blue leather jacket. My eyes widened as I accepted it, glee rising in my chest and to my face. "It's untraceable, but it's _only_ to be used in case of an emergency."

"Oh, you're no fun!" I whined.

"I trust that you will follow my instructions."

Staying silent, I admired the perfect, smooth surface of the phone by carefully running my fingers over every curve.

"Parker…?" Hunter cautioned.

" _Okay_ ," I groaned, tucking the phone away into my pocket. "Got it. Anything else?"

"Good luck. I'll be in touch if anything new shows up."  
"Thanks."

"And be careful," Hunter added, after a moment of a hesitating silence.

"When have I _not_ been?"

From his end, a scoff was let out from another source in the background.

"Shut up, Brock!" I huffed, but with a loving undertone.

"Over and out," Hunter finished.

"Over and out," I repeated and hung up as well, handing back the device to Jack, who watched me cautiously. "I'm not gonna snap again," I said with a roll of my eyes.

"You _sure_?" he double-checked.

"Yeah!"

"Okay then." Jack shoved away the transmitter as he glanced back at the diner. "I didn't tip the waitress…"

"I doubt she'll notice," I waved off and began walking towards where the car stood parked on the sandy excuse of a driveway.

"I dunno… She seemed to keep a pretty good tab on that sort of thing." Jack trailed after me, still glancing over his shoulder.

"Those truckers looked generous," I tried to sooth his worry with as I opened the car door leading to the passenger's seat. With my hand resting on the roof of the blue vehicle, I waited and observed as Jack bit his lip pensively.

"I'll be right back," he decided and threw me the car keys, before hurrying away. I caught them with a sigh, before I seated myself comfortably, my head placed to rest against the chilly window of the closed door.

The cool glass was welcomed after the heat; _soothing_ , even.

* * *

A knock woke me up, jerking me awake to stare right into the face of Jack, as he repeated this action. The sky was pitch black, and with a squinted gaze I glanced at the time.

"Did it take you _three_ hours to tip her?" I exclaimed after unlocking the door for him. Jack smoothed his ruffled hair back in place, saying nothing as he reached to secure his seat belt. "No!" I gasped. "You _didn't_!" The content smirk said it all. "EUW!" I shook my head rapidly, desperately trying to get the image out of my head. "At least tell me it wasn't one of the truckers!"

"Please!" Jack scoffed as he backed out of our parking space. " _Not_ my type."

"They kinda reminded me of Brock… You know, size-wise," I teased.

"What we have is a _bro_ mance and nothing more, Missy," Jack corrected. "So stop dropping hints!"

"There's no such thing as a bromance," I sang as we turned onto the dark – if you could even call the blurry line between hard, dry ground and cracked asphalt a – road.

"You and your television series…" Jack sighed with a tired shake of his head. But after another moment of pleasant silence, he spoke up. "It was the waitress."

"Did you get lost in her hair or what?"

"Yeah…" He beamed joyfully.

"OKAY, time for some music!" I exclaimed as I reached to turn on the car's radio. _Let's Get It On_ with Marvin Gaye flowed out through the speakers. "Don't," I warned, glaring at the smirking Jack.

This was going to be a _long_ ride back home.

* * *

 **A/N: Long time no see readers! I'm sorry for the hiatus, but I've been going back and re-editing from the start. I'm almost up to speed with the latest chapter before this one, but couldn't hold out with this one any longer. So here you go! Hope you like this start of season 2, and if you are so kind as to leave me a review it would light up my day** **E** **ach and every one of your** **reviews so far have been amazing to read, so please keep the love and interest coming! Thank you for reading, and lots of love sent to you all!**


	31. Foul

"What do you mean ' _I'm not in Mystic Falls'_?"

"What do _you_ mean by it?"

"I'm on the road."

"So am I!"

This conversation was going nowhere.

"Well, _where_ are you heading?" I questioned as I rested my head in my hand, my elbow leaning against the side of the car door.

"North Carolina. To check through Isobel's old research about werewolves at Duke University."

I furrowed my brows. "Werewolves?"

Jack turned his head away from the road for a moment to throw a questioning look my way, but I waved him off with a scowl.

"Yeah. Seems we might have one in Mystic Falls. At least according to _Damon_ …" Elena sighed.

" _You_ 're on a roadtrip with _Damon_?" I double-checked, suppressing a chuckle.

"Tell Parker that she's welcome to join!" Damon's distinctive voice called over Elena's attempts to explain the situation.

"Shush! Yeah, Alaric's here too. Stefan had to stay behind to take care of Caroline," Elena added, grumpily.

"Take care of Care," I chuckled. Jack rolled his eyes. With a hand placed over my phone, I focused my gaze on him. "Come on! It wasn't _that_ bad."

"Yeah, it was."

"You drop worse," I scoffed, attempting to tune back in on Elena's chattering.

"I have a natural _talent_. It's just not for everyone," Jack claimed with a shrug.

"Okay! Time to get of that high horse of yours. Hmm?" I cocked my head to the side, eyes narrowed.

Jack only laughed as I glaringly returned to my conversation with Elena.

"…Yeah, thanks to a ring that you didn't know he was wearing," Elena scoffed, clearly in the middle of a conversation in _her_ car.

"What ring?" I interjected.

"It's… I might have left out a piece of information last night. We'll talk about it later," Elena sighed. Okay, weird.

"Did something happen?" I questioned.

" _Later,_ " my sister insisted.

"Fine. I'll meet you guys at Duke. Text me the exact address." Pushing the call away, I stared at the road ahead while pressing the cold metal forming my phone against my lips. What was going on? What had I missed that Elena didn't share with me last night? I was beginning to grow a little worried, mostly because whatever it was about, it was clearly connected to Damon somehow; who would she otherwise have been snapping at in the car? Alaric? The odds said otherwise.

"Trouble in Mystic Falls?" Jack asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Vampire trouble," I sighed and rearranged my legs to sit cross-legged in my seat; my shoes had been thrown off a _long_ time ago, making this readjustment possible.

"Ah! I remember the last time we encountered a vampire," Jack smirked. "Didn't end so well."

"Ugh! Don't remind me," I huffed and rolled my neck to relieve some tension in it, a pleasant cracking sound telling me the action had been needed.

"Have you been to New Orleans since?" he checked.

"Nope! And I don't intend on returning there anytime soon."

"Marcel would probably snap your neck the second he saw you," Jack muttered, a hint of a grin playing with his voice.

Turning in my seat, I focused my narrowed stare on him. "Is my ability to piss people off amusing to you?"

"It's entertaining, yes," Jack admitted with a nod. "But you still have a long way to go until you reach the expert level," he added, wiggling his eyebrows to clarify that he was referring to himself. _Proudly_.

"You shouldn't be proud of that," I pointed out.

"You're just jealous," he claimed, grinning. With a scoff, I turned back to stare at the empty road. "So! Vampire trouble?" I swiveled my head to glare at Jack. "Are you dating one?"

"Oh, shut up! _You_ banged an old waitress!" I accused with my finger waving right under his nose.

"And I regret nothing," Jack retorted and pushed my annoying finger aside. "But is that what it's about? The sex?" he checked.

"Not sure yet…" I admitted with a tilt of my head.

"Well, good luck with the werewolf research anyway. Sorry you can't flip through the Agency's old files," Jack chuckled, looking so pleased with himself for pointing that out to me. Again, I narrowed my eyes.

"Easy on the gloating there, _sweetie_."

* * *

"STOP HERE!" I yelled out.

Jack stepped on the break, which would have made me fly out through the windshield hadn't it been for the trustworthy seat belt keeping me in place.

" _Jeez_ , woman!" Jack placed a hand over his heart, as I quickly opened the door and jumped out of the car. "You scared the bejesus outta me!" he called through the open window.

"Yeah, sorry," I replied, a bit absentmindedly, as I checked the courtyard behind me over my shoulder for any of the three familiar figures I was awaiting.

A large, old building made up of grey stones could be spotted in the distance, trees with pink flowers aligning the paved road where the car currently stood stopped. The same routh circled around a patch of green grass, before turning and leading back out from the campus area.

"You need to go," I urged Jack, hitting the car repeatedly. "Like, _right_ now."

"What?! Don't you want me to meet your friends?" he gasped with fake shock, putting a hand over his heart. "I'm _hurt–_ "

"And I'm serious, Jack. _Go_."

He only stared at me, not moving the car one inch.

"I haven't really told anyone about _this._ " I made a vague, waving gesture between us. "So, please, spare me the complicated explanation and just _GO_!"

"Okay!" Jack sighed, turning on the engine. "I'm going, I'm going!"

"Thank you." I gave the car a final clap, before turning to leave.

" _But_!" At the sound of his voice, I twirled back to face him. "You're gonna have to tell them _sometime_."

"I know, I know," I groaned, waving him off. "Take care, Jackie."

Making a face, he drove off. His blue car had barely even left my sight and the area before a silver SUV drove in. Now _that_ was a close one!

"You guys are late," I stated, crossing my arms as the car came to a stop.

Elena only rolled her eyes as she jumped out from the backseat. Alaric greeted me with a warm smile, before a glance Damon's way as the vampire walked around the car made his face stiffen a bit.

"I gotta go make sure I can park here…" the history teacher trailed off, and bolted the scene.

"What was _that_ about?" I asked Elena, who was busy glaring at Damon.

"I'm gonna call Stefan and check up on Caroline," she excused and walked away while pulling her phone up.

"Ooookay!" I swiveled back on my work boot heel – since I hadn't brought any other shoes with me to change into after my visit in the desert, they were still going strong. "Am I missing something here?"

Damon's turn to glare, apparently.

I frowned. "What?"

"You could have left a message, you know," he spoke, through gritted teeth.

"I was gone for _two_ days! Really?" I couldn't help the scoff that escaped me. "Okay, so that's why _you're_ pissed. Doesn't explain her reason." I gestured with my thumb over my shoulder, towards my sister tapping her foot against the lawn with her phone pressed tightly to her ear.

"A lot happened."

" _Clearly!"_

Damon kept staring, but in a less threatening way. More of an ' _I'm undressing you with my eyes'_ sort of style.

"Stop that," I demanded.

"Why?" He tilted his head to the side and continued eyeing me up and down thoroughly.

"Pedophile eyes!"

"What?" Damon's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Never mind." I shook my head, before moving to close the space between us, standing only inches away from his face. "When I want you to _undress_ me, I'll let you."

A content smirk spread on his handsomely defined face. "Why, Parker! There are children present," Damon tsked with a nod over my head.

Peering back, I caught Elena standing a few feet closer than before in an awkward, stiff position, with her phone grasped tightly in her hand. "Whoops."

Forcing a polite smile, my sister nodded at my clothing. "Nice outfit. Very… _sandy_."

"Um, yeah." I looked down at my dark blue jeans, now more of a beige shade thanks to all the dust that had stuck to them. Wonder what the inside of Jack's car looked like… All the while, I was _extremely_ aware of Elena's piercing gaze, only focused on me and completely ignoring the gorgeous vampire behind me.

"So where'd you go?" Elena inquired.

"Can we talk about something else? Like how," I stepped out of the way so that I was no longer blocking Elena's view of Damon, "the air is _extra_ chilly in-between here." I gestured at the area stretching out from my sister to my… vampire? It was too early for that kind of labeling. "Something happened and not telling me isn't helping anyone."

"Like I said before: _later_ ," Elena stated firmly.

Dropping it, I instead went for, "How's Stefan?" Bad move, apparently, since Elena's face turned even more grumpy.

"He's probably busy since he's not answering…" She stared at the phone in her hand with a defeated expression.

Something within me just said _snap_ , and suddenly I couldn't help but want to _gag_ all over Stelena's cuteness. Maybe it was because I hadn't eaten a good meal during the past day, or maybe there was only so much lovey-dovey crap one can take before they lost it. Either way, I just couldn't hold back the desire to taunt my sister.

The brilliant idea hit me like a cement block over the head, and the lightbulb shining up was a fact. I turned to Damon with a mischievous smile.

"Just go with it," I mumbled for only his vamp-hearing to catch, before wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling his face closer to mine. Damon's eyes widened slightly, but he was instantly onboard with my unspoken plan.

After all, pissing off one's siblings never fails to amuse.

Beginning with placing a light kiss on his lips, I drew my head back a little to smile smugly at Damon. He returned the expression as we rubbed our noses together affectionately. Catching Elena's gaping mouth out in the corner of my eye, I turned my head to fully meet her blazing gaze. Damon's lips remained against my cheek, softly brushing past as he turned to watch Elena as well, our cheeks now connecting.

"Annoying?" I asked my sister. " _That's_ how you and Stefan look around each other." I moved my head, my nose traveling over Damon's soft skin, before placing my lips next to his ear. "Thanks," I whispered, placing another kiss there.

"Anytime," came the response, a light breeze from his exhale hitting my ear before it was rewarded with a kiss as well. Attempting to ignore the pleasant shivers it sent down my spine, I instead took a step back to clear my throat.

"We're good!" Alaric declared. "Parking here is fine." When close enough to notice the feel of the scene in front of him, he stopped with a frown. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing," Elena grumbled, stomping away with storm clouds hovering over her head. Damon and I only exchanged a look. As he didn't do much to repress his smirk, I turned to to answer Ric with a shrug.

"Teenagers! Am I right?"

* * *

If the building had looked fancy and old from the outside, it was _nothing_ compared to the interior. The rooms had high ceilings, with walls clad in dark wood panel about halfway up, to then have a beige yellow – matching my dusty pants – taking place. With windows that seemed to belong in the 1800s, a chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling and scary old decorations – like a photograph of an old statue forming the head of a man with a large nose, and a little skeleton the size of a child standing in a weird position on a dresser – the ancient place sure radiated a side of creepy. _What a place to work in._

"So Isobel was officially employed by the anthropology department, given that most paranormal phenomenon is rooted in folklore," Alaric spoke over his shoulder.

"Nice place," I whispered to Damon, scrunching my nose as we passed the child skeleton.

Turning a corner, Alaric lead our little dysfunctional group into a small office area where a young woman was flipping through some papers in a big file cabinet.

"Excuse me, hi. I'm Alaric Saltzman, I called earlier."

"Yes, of course." The woman closed a drawer with the files and reached out her hand. "I'm Vanessa Monroe, research assistant, comparative folklore." Her gaze stopped at Elena for a moment, a wrinkle forming between her brows. My sister only smiled back politely. Vanessa shrugged, snapping out of whatever daze she'd been in. "Uh, let me just grab Isobel's keys."

"I'm sorry." Alaric, interpreted Vanessa's weird behavior as confusion over who the rest of us were, went on to make quick but polite institutions. "These are my friends Elena, Parker and Damon." He gestured at us each in turn, I being the only one to note it with a small wave with my hand. "I hope this isn't too much of an imposition."

"Oh please, Isobel's office is right through there," Vanessa reassured, moving to retrieve a pair of keys from her desk's drawer. "Isobel was one of my first professors. I'm a grad student. She was brilliant, and one of the reasons I went into folklore." She paused for a moment and sat down on her desk. "Uh, I have to ask… has there been any news?"

"No. No, I'm afraid not," Alaric spoke, suddenly his voice much lower. I looked away from the woman's shoulders slouching, before she just nodded, as if accepting the information.

"It's right this way," Vanessa said, nodding at a door to the right.

The room we entered was dark, dusty and seemed to match the interior of the previous rooms quite well. Except for the bookshelves here, stocked with old books and artifacts, aligning the walls.

"I'll grab the light," Vanessa declared. "Feel free to look around. It's fascinating isn't it?"

Picking up a skeleton head of a bird and turning it in my hand, I thought over her words; _fascinating_ wasn't perhaps the word that I'd use… The rest of the desk before me was stocked with other similar skeleton heads from different types of animals. Maybe I'd check through the books instead.

Moving to the other side of the room, I joined Elena as she tiptoed to see the content of the top shelf.

"Need a helping, reaching hand?" I offered.

Elena looked down at my shoes. "Without your heels you're in as much need of help as I am."

"Who are you calling short, hobbit?"

"Hey. Where'd she go?" Damon asked, from the desk full of the skeleton heads I had just left behind.

On cue, Vanessa re-entered the room. But now with a crossbow in her hands, aiming a loaded arrow right at my sister. Elena gasped as Vanessa's shot the arrow at her chest, but my hand reacted, reaching out and catching it before anyone could blink; just as I felt another, stronger hand try to pull me out of the crossfire.

My sister could only stare, whilst hyperventilating, at the sharp tip of the arrow, inches away from piercing her chest. Directing my gaze over my shoulder, I found Damon, whose hand still remained firmly wrapped around my upper arm. A grunt from Vanessa told me Alaric had her covered.

"I'm good now," I told Damon, nodding at his grip. After a too-long second, he released it and took a step back.

"Fast reflexes," Damon noted with a nod, observing me with a new suspicion in his blue eyes.

"Thank you." Brushing his gaze off easily, I focused my attention on Elena. "You okay?" She only shook her head as she made constant, small turning motions, not sure what to do or how to act after being so close to death. "Hey." I gripped her shoulders and pressed them down firmly. "You're okay. It didn't hit you. Deep breaths." Elena obeyed, slowing her breathing down successively. "Good girl." A glance over my shoulder showed an empty spot where Vanessa and her crossbow had been moments ago.

"Alaric took care of her," Damon responded to my questioning gaze thrown his way. I observed my still freaking out sister as she ran a hand through her perfectly straight hair, her eyes and mouth wide open as the panic from earlier began to settle.

"Okay, that bitch is _dead_ ," I declared. Only, Elena's hand shot out to stop me before I could as much as make a move.

"You're not gonna kill her!" my sister exclaimed.

"She hurt you," I argued.

"Well–" Damon intervened.

" _Tried_ to," I corrected myself with a roll of my eyes

"Parker, please," Elena pleaded. Her sad, puppy dog eyes were a fact. Still, I only stared back at her blankly. As I had shot a man not even 24 hours ago, with the numbness of it still present in my body, I had no problem doing the same. And _this_ time the reasons were even better: she had tried to hurt Elena. _My sister_. That was off-limits. "You touch her and I _swear_ I will never speak to you again," Elena threatened, crossing her arms as if to mark the finality to her statement.

"UGH!" I grunted out. "You're no fun!"

Elena shook her head in pure astonishment. "I can't believe this… Does human life mean _nothing_ to you?"

"I just saved yours!" I exclaimed, my hand wildly gesturing at her ungrateful face. "Which, by the way, you're _welcome_."

"Unbelievable. You're no better than him!" Elena snapped, pointing at Damon. He stood a few feet away, shamelessly observing the fight as he made well sure to keep his distance, should things go bad.

"Hey–"

"Thought you said you wouldn't act this way anymore," I pointed out, vividly remembering Elena's supporting words from only last night. She seemed to be ready to boil over, her face turning red, as Damon moved in the outskirts of my vision

"He killed Jeremy!" Elena suddenly yelled out. Immediately, her hand shot up to cover her mouth, as if in shock of what had just jumped out of her. She soon lowered it, glaring at Damon. "Sorry, I _was_ gonna give _you_ the chance to tell her…" But I had tuned out from my sister's chattering to stare at Damon. A cold, blinding rage was building up inside of me.

"You did _what?_ "

"You failed to mention that he was wearing a ring that brought him back to life," Damon directed towards Elena, with a scoff. "Parks…" he began as I moved towards him. Suddenly, I was very keen on hurting someone _else_. "Hey!" Damon used his vamp-strength to grab my arms, stopping to hold them in mid-air. "Jeremy's fine now. We actually had a nice little moment last night."

"Does it look like I care!" I spat and tried to shove him back, but instead a quick, whooshing movement readjusted my position so that Damon was now holding both my arms pinned together behind my back, which was also pressed against his chest.

"Calm down–"  
"I _am_ calm!" I shouted, trying to stomp on his foot.

"Guys–" Elena tried to chisel in. "Don't do anything either of you will regret."

Damon's grip grew harder for a moment as I continued to struggle, until I was released with a shove. Spinning towards him, my eyes shot daggers to match the contained fury in his own gaze.

"This isn't over," I told him sternly, with my forefinger pointing at him accusingly. For now disregarding the male and blinding anger he brought, I turned around to face my sister, arms folded over my chest. "What _else_ did you decide _not_ to tell me in those _one hundred_ voicemails?"

"Later," Elena insisted, avoiding my blazing gaze. Even as I kept staring at her, she showed no sigh of budging. _That did it_.

"I'm taking a walk," I declared. And so, I left the two standing there in the middle of the murky room, staring after me whilst probably wondering how the _hell_ that could have escalated so quickly. _As did I._

* * *

The sky had gone completely dark when I finally managed to pull myself together and put a lid on my raging temper. Wandering around the old campus and watch the impressive architecture had somewhat soothed me, at last making my return to the building where Isobel's old office laid possible.

"I don't know what that means or if we should even believe it, but it's a full moon, Stefan." Elena's voice traveled through the balmy night to reach my ears. "After what you saw Mason Lockwood do…" she went on, and I stopped dead.

 _Mason!_

Gathering myself, I cautiously moved closer to stand hidden behind one of the many trees. Hidden by the pink flowers, I listened intently.

"There's one more thing," Elena sighed. "According to the legend, a werewolf bite can kill a vampire."

The piece of information tickled something at the back of my mind, a tale I had once read in the old records the Agency kept. The same records Jack had so charmingly teased me about earlier. They covered almost anything involving the supernatural. Getting access to them hadn't been easy, but with a contact like Hunter and a charmer like Jack no task was impossible. All those many files and documents had given me more intel on the supernatural world than any of the old diaries written by Johnathan Gilbert could ever have provided me with.

Which was why I recognized the dooming fact of what the bite from a werewolf could do to a vampire. As well as how a werewolf came to be; what needed to be done for a person to activate the gene passed on from parent to child. A dormant gene that the Lockwood family – according to those same records – carried. A Lockwood.

Like Mason.

Oh no.

Gazing up at the moon, I imagined what the glowing shape must do to him every single full moon. The pain. And the horror.

"Okay." Elena finished the call with another sigh. But as she turned to return into the old building, I stepped out from my hidden place amongst the trees to stand in her way. Instantly, her feet halted, her gaze hesitant as it landed on me. As it saw my tight expression. "Parks…"

"So Mason Lockwood is back in town, huh?"

Remaining silent, Elena stared into the paved ground. "I wanted to tell you, but I thought…"

"That I couldn't handle it?" I filled in, scoffing as I threw my arms out. "Really? Or what other explanation do you have prepared? Am I too unstable to be told of my _ex's_ return? Huh?"

"I didn't want you to leave again," Elena said and raised her warm, brown gaze to meet mine. The overwhelming sadness in her orbs made me stumble back a bit. Swiftly, I snapped my mouth shut to prevent any other accusations from flooding out. Instead, I silently waited for her to go on. "You bailed, disappeared completely without as much as a call, a text, or even an explanatory note! I got scared and I didn't want to give you any reasons to not come back. I need you, Parks. I thought Mason returning…" Elena bit into her lip and ran a hand through her hair with a shaky sigh. "I'm sorry. Okay?"

I only stared at my sister. Her compassion and caring always bothered me, but here, right now, some selfish tendencies were showing. And I actually liked it.

"You know what?" I said, feeling a small smile tug. "It's fine." When I pulled her into a tight hug, I quickly felt her body relax in my arms.

"You sure? I mean–" Elena began.

"Sch!" I interrupted my sister, patting her back lovingly in the process. "Don't ruin the moment."

* * *

"You can't stay mad at me forever."

"Watch me," I said as I shoved yet another book back into the old bookshelf, the rack shaking slightly due to my rough motion.

"Come on!" Damon coaxed with his signature wry smirk. I only turned my head to glare at him.

"You killed my brother."

"He came back to life!" Damon defended, with a flare of his arms.

"Doesn't make it justified," I replied tightly.

When I tried to storm off, setting my path towards my sister discussing something with Vanessa by Isobel's desk, Alaric listening as well, Damon's arm shot out to stop me. Shoving it aside, I threw daggers at him with my eyes. Making a firm exhale through my nose, I laced my words with as much of my fury as I dared, without it consuming me.

"Look. I don't think it's a secret that I don't care that much about people. Or human life in general. _But_ , what I am _never_ , under _any_ circumstances, okay with, is someone hurting those I love. So to spell it out for you: you blew it, pal." This time, slamming away Damon's hand trying to grab onto my arm again was easy, abling me to make my escape.

"Well, the word means a lot of different things to different cultures. But typically a _doppelgänger_ is a living, breathing double of oneself," Vanessa, at a seated desk covered in documents informed. Elena, who stood on the other side of the desk, looking through drawings and photographs, frowned deeply.

"Did Isobel have anything that explained the link between me and Katherine?" Elena inquired, her brows furrowed in thought.

"That's all she had on Katherine, unfortunately," Vanessa deplored, nodding towards a box before my sister. Elena suddenly turned her head in my direction, and it took me a moment to realize that it wasn't _me_ her piercing gaze was watching, as I followed it to see Damon slam a book in his hands shut rapidly. _Okayyyy_ … Weird.

"But!" Vanessa leaned forward to rest her elbows against the desk's smooth surface. "I _can_ tell you that doppelgängers usually torment the people they look like, trying to undo their lives. It's not exactly _uplifting_ …" Peering over my sister's shoulder, I spotted a picture of Katherine in her hand.

"And more things we already know," Elena sighed as she handed me the picture.

"It's uncanny," I commented as I turned it to check for any more information on the back, only to be faced with the date 1864.

"Just… I want to know why we look alike." Elena accepted the picture with a troubled face as I handed it back to her.

"Head scratcher, isn't it?" Damon spoke up. Elena immediately tensed up, but I placed my hand over hers to stop her from responding with anything stupid.

"You wanna contribute with some info?" I asked as I turned around to face the approaching vampire, leaning the small of my back against the desk with my arms folded. "Or are you sticking with the ' _I do no wrong actions'_ thing?"

"Well, _if_ I know anything, I'm not gonna tell you. Not with that attitude." Damon stopped before my narrowed gaze, a tad too close for my liking at the moment. My suppressed anger was waiting just beneath the surface, threatening to come gushing up at any moment. And I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to stop it.

"Right." I nodded. "So you're not gonna help and try to make up for any past mistakes, not even when I ask you to? Good plan," I huffed.

Damon studied my face as I retained it closed off from any emotions to be displayed. A slight wrinkle had formed between his brows, and it only deepened as I bumped into his shoulder on my way past him, mumbling, "Unbelievable," with a shake of my head. A calming walk had worked for me last time, might as well try it again.

"We better be leaving soon," I called over my shoulder, just before I slammed the door to the office shut behind me.

Only to be waiting by another completely different door for half an hour; a car door. That being added _on top_ of the time it took for me to hike around the campus.

 _Finally_ , after ages of waiting, I saw my sister approach, Damon not far behind her with Alaric and Vanessa slowly trailing after. Elena's face cracked and showed off a tiny smile when we made eye contact, but she was soon cornered by Damon. From my place leaning against the car, I couldn't hear a word from their conversation, but I _did_ see Damon hand over a thick, old-looking book to my sister. She accepted it, seeming a little surprised by the gesture, her brows furrowed as she turned the brown binder in her hand.

When she reached the vehicle, I raised a questioning eyebrow. A shake of her head gave me the same answer I had received all night long; _later._ With a double beep, the car unlocked for Elena to instantly enter the backseat. Sighing, I huffed out that she _better_ tell me later this time, under my breath.

But just as I was about to follow, a hand placed itself on the car's mirroring window, preventing me from budging it an inch.

" _What?_ " I bit off and swiveled on my heel to face Damon, with my absolute coldest glare prepared.

"What will it take for you stop this?" Damon sighed, gesturing with his hand up and down my body, most probably referring to my pissed demeanor.

"Hmm, oh I don't know…" I pretended to think long and hard about his question, tapping my finger against my chin. "Here's an idea: don't kill those I love! It's not a good start to a relationship." As I tried to rip the door open again, Damon's hand again firmly pressed it close. He kept watching my face intently, the previous wrinkle still between his brows. But soon my gaze drifted to notice Damon's eyes lingering over my lips, and I tried to ignore the shivering memories that brought back. _Stand your ground, woman._

"I get it. You have every right to hate me. But if you want to know the truth, I snapped Jeremy's neck because I couldn't find you. And Elena wouldn't tell me where you were," Damon explained, slowly, still observing my face closely. _Huh?_ "You want me to apologize? Fine, I did a bad thing. I'm sorry." Feeling my eyes widen, I made sure to snap my chin shut firmly.

Did I… Did I just get an apology? From _Damon_?! Was I dreaming?

"Is that all?" I checked, sensing something else hiding under his words as well. Why would he have been so upset about not finding me? This was _Damon_ , yes, but he hadn't freaked out and killed anyone when I snuck out after we had sex.

"No…" Damon's jaws clenched as his hand placed on the car curled into a ball. "Katherine came back, which I'm sure you heard."

"One of the things my sister _did_ tell me, yes," I confirmed with a nod.

"She stopped by before leaving town and it…brought back some unwanted emotions," Damon reluctantly said.

"Are we talking unwanted emotions as in the last post-Katherine heartbreak?" I checked with a tilt of my head, trying to meet Damon's gaze directed into the paved ground.

"Yeah, something like that…"

With a sigh, I chewed on my lip as my eyes roamed the surrounding area. "Look… I get it. I've had my fair share of heartbreaks in the past as well. I know what they can do to your judgement. _But!"_ The expression I had met on Damon's face was to smug for my liking; and I hadn't forgiven him just yet. "I'm still not okay with you _killing_ my _brother_." Damon parted his lips, but I cut off his attempt to butt in with something. "That was crossing a line," I said firmly. Sadly, the parted emotions within me made it _impossible_ to not leave Damon with a last string of hope. "So I'm gonna need some time. And a little proof that you're not a complete psycho. My family needs to remains safe, that's really all I care about." With that, I moved my hand to lay over the one Damon had placed on the car's window. As he attempted to entwine our fingers, I removed his hold of the door. "Just give me that," I said and slipped my hand out of his grip. Before he could utter any other words, I got into the car and shut the door firmly after me.

Barely even getting the time to take a breath, my head slumped back against the seat, I felt eyes study me.

"You okay?" a concerned Elena inquired from my left.

"We'll see…" I mumbled. Then remembered. "Hey!" My hand found my sister's to grab it. "What was that book Damon gave you?"

"He said to thank _you_ for that action." Elena handed me the brown, heavy binder from earlier. With featherlight touch, I stroked my fingers over the uneven surface. My furrowed brows urged her to go on. "Apparently Katherine was originally named _Katerina Petrova_ ," Elena explained as I turned the book to see just that last name engraved into the back with bold, golden letters. "I guess she changed it. Damon saw the name on an old family heirloom of hers once."

"Hm." I returned the book to my sister, who with one look at my closed face decided to flip through the old binder's yellow, crumbling pages, leaving me be. Thankful for the moment to myself, I placed my elbow against the car door and rested my chin in my palm.

Damon was still standing just outside, staring right back at me; he could probably sense my gaze coming through the car's dark window with his heightened vamp-senses.

When, suddenly, the crazy impulse of wanting to forget about everything and just jump out of the car and grab onto those tuft of hair of his took me over, I dug my nails into my jean clad thigh without mercy. _He killed my baby bro,_ I reminded myself. Even if it hadn't been permanently, he'd still done it. Just because I hadn't been there.

I had to draw the line somewhere.


	32. Memories of You Haunting Me

AUGUST 2003

" _Anyway, that's why we're having a Terminator marathon."_

" _So it's a political statement, ey?"_

" _Something like that. But I'll see you later, babe." Tim placed a quick kiss on my lips, before joining his buddies waiting for him by the entrance to the school. With my chin resting in the palm of my hand, I watched his back as it moved further and further away. Or, more correctly, I watched his ass._

" _How cute," Tanya commented from my side, not doing much to hide her bitterness as she licked the ice cream off her spoon._

" _Be nice," I warned, clicking my tongue. When she raised her gaze from her chocolate ice cream to glare at me, I only winked._

" _Remind me why I'm here again," Tanya sighed, once a group of giggling 14 year olds had bought half our ice cream storage._

" _Because you love helping out your best friend, whose Mom loves to sign her up for random charity events," I replied, rolling out another scoop of cookie dough ice cream to hand it to a little blonde girl with big, round green eyes, who looked to be about my little sister's age._

" _Juliette!" a woman called over the crowd that the fair had gathered, several heads turning to watch as the new Principal closed in on our petty stand. "You know that you're not allowed to eat sweets on weekdays," she scolded her daughter._

" _Relax, Suzanne." I ignored Tanya's warning gaze to my left, her blue eyes sparkling as she shook her head frantically, gesturing with her finger slitting her throat open. "It's Friday!_ One _little treat can't hurt." I winked at the little blonde, who beamed back at me with the widest smile I had ever seen._

" _Don't push your luck, miss Gilbert," Principal Walters spoke coldly. "Your mother may have recommended you for this, but your reputation from school is not forgotten."_

 _My smile faded completely when the blonde woman shot her nose up into the air, grabbing her little daughter's hand to drag her away through the crowd. On her way, she almost rammed a handsome young man with curly, light brown hair cut short, wearing a tight, sky blue t-shirt._

" _Incoming," Tanya leaned in to whisper, her almond brown mane tickling my cheek._

" _Shut up," I whispered back, repositioning my smile as the hot guy stopped before our table. "Can I interest you in some chilling ice cream this fine, sunny day?" I offered with a grand gesture towards our stash of flavors._

" _Depends," Mason Lockwood pondered. "Are friends given a discount?"  
At Tanya's scoff, I shot out my elbow, aiming for her ribs. A grunt told me that I had hit my target._

" _Sorry. Mom will slaughter me," I deplored with a pout._

" _It's fine." The most adorable little laugh lines formed around his blue eyes. "I know the feeling…" he chuckled, with a shake of his head. "Carol," he informed my frown._

" _Right." I nodded._

 _Mason leaned over the glass counter, close enough to invade my so called_ 'personal space' _with a flirtatious smile. "I'll have the lemon ice cream then."_

" _Coming right up," I responded with an equally flirty smirk._

 _From her stool, Tanya only stared openly as the eye-fucking continued, even when I scooped up the ice cream. When handing him the paper cup containing a big ice cream sphere, our fingers stroked against each other briefly as Mason took it. At the touch, a spark of electricity shot through my body. I just couldn't hold back the beam anymore._

" _Thanks." Mason's wry grin tattled that he had felt the very same spark as well._

" _Anytime." I smiled back with a tilt of my head, preparing for his hand to graze mine again when he handed over the money. I was not disappointed._

 _It seemed as if Mason was about to say something else, but a quick glance to my left shut his mouth rapidly. I was pretty sure I knew the cause._

" _I'll see you later, Parks," he excused and backed away, giving me one last grin._

" _Yeah…"_

 _Once Mason was out of sight, I twirled my head to the left. Innocently, Tanya licked her plastic spoon clean, which by now could only have managed to gather melted ice cream from her paper goblet._

" _Care to explain?" I inquired with my arms folded over my chest._

" _I have no idea what you're talking about," Tanya said simply, moving to cough into the bend of her bronze arm._

" _Don't even try," I snorted._

" _Okay!" Tanya folded with a raise of her hands, and I could happily retreat from my position of towering over her as she sat on the only little stool that had come with the stand. "I may not like Tim all that much–"_

" _Clearly," I scoffed._

"But _that doesn't mean I condone the obvious eye-fucking."_

" _Why do you care?" I waved off a scrawny looking boy who had attempted to charm me for a free scoop of ice cream_ five times _only during the past half hour._

" _It's your life, Parks," Tanya responded with a shrug. "But if you ask me, you should just send Tim packing and go all in with Mason instead."_

" _It's complicated," I sighed as I gave the young boy the finger to bang in the message. He finally surrendered and left to be swallowed by the crowd._

" _Whatever," Tanya spoke. She leaned forward to retrieve another scoop of ice cream, doing everything in her power to remain sitting whilst eyeing me with puppy eyes. With a roll of my eyes, I scooped up another sphere of the creamy chocolate before handing the paper cup back to her. "I'm just saying that he isn't the most faithful rooster in the hen, if you know what I mean."_

" _Because it's Tim's_ faithfulness _that makes him_ _ **so**_ _hot and popular._ Clearly _the reason I date the guy," I said, sarcasm dripping from my voice._

" _Yeah, yeah, I get it," Tanya chuckled. "Just putting it out there; he's a cheating douche." She pointed her red plastic spoon at me. "You can do better."_

" _Gee,_ thanks _! That's probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me." I placed my hand over my heart, pretending to wipe a tear from the corner of my eye. "I'm_ touched _!" I ducked for a napkin and stuck my tongue out at Tanya's glare._

" _I mean it."_

" _I know you do," I responded, earnestly this time. "But Tim's got booze and I'm going with the_ 'innocent until proven guilty' _thing."_

" _Mistake," Tanya commented, before swallowing another spoon full of chocolate._

" _Noted. But it's easier like this." I grabbed a waffle cone to scoop up some of the oreo ice cream for myself. "Mason is too involved in my mom's cute community world and I'm not gonna get wrapped up in it as well. I'm getting out of this town as_ soon _as possible," I said, empathizing the last part._

" _You and me both." Tanya held up her paper cup for a toast, and I met it with my cone._

 _Returning the smile, I turned to watch the pulsing crowd before me, the only breaking of the pattern kids running around and screaming with joy when they saw another stand stock full of colorful candy._

 _Everywhere, everybody greeted everybody with a big beam. Everyone knew_ everyone _. The mere thought made me want to barf all over the little community. No matter what I did, I would forever be the troubled eldest daughter of the perfect Gilbert couple. But mark my words: I_ would _get out of this town. No matter what it would take._

* * *

"What am I even doing here?"

"Stop whining and help me with the food." Jenna placed a big, transparent, plastic box filled with vegetables from the fridge in front of me on the light kitchen counter. "Make yourself useful and fix the salad."

"So _I_ have to do it just because I'm the vegetarian? You could _grill_ some vegetables for me, you know!" I called after my aunt's back, as she disappeared through the back door and out into the yard. "Great…"

"Having fun?" Elena asked as she entered the kitchen with her bag thrown over her shoulder, without a doubt containing the book with the letters spelling out _Petrova_ on the back. Knowing my sister, she had been busy reading up on her crazy doppelgänger at every chance she got.

"No," I grumpily responded and began picking up lettuce and other vegetables from the box, throwing them onto the kitchen island as reluctantly as humanly possible.

Elena placed her elbows on the counter opposite from me, leaning forward with a serious expression. "Is this about–"

"Whatever name you're gonna say, Damon or Mason, then no. I just don't like barbecues," I stated. Pulling out a sharp knife, I began chopping up the many different greens violently.

"Okay then…" Elena drew back, her brows raised at my chopping.

"Elena! You're back," Jenna greeted my little sister as she returned from the backyard. "The meat is looking good," she informed, then cast a worried glance my way. "Calm it with the harassing of the veggies, sweetie."

With a gruff sound, I dropped the knife and grabbed onto the counter, to the point that I felt my hands go numb. If it wasn't abundantly clear, I was _not_ psyched about Mason _and_ Damon coming to this thing; the latter one recently informing Elena that he would use this dinner to once and for all prove Mason's werewolfism. Thanks to my sister's quick texting, I'd received that piece of information beforehand, giving me some time to process it. Though apparently not enough.

"You _sure_ you're okay?" Elena double-checked, Jenna mimicking my sister's concern with a tilt of the head and crossing of her arms.

"I'm meeting an ex! I haven't gone mental or anything." I picked up the knife from the cutting board made of wood and continued chopping up the lettuce as Elena and Jenna shared a look. "I'm not gonna snap," I informed them, perhaps waving the knife around a little _too_ vigorously. Maybe that was why my sister and aunt both took a cautious step back.

"Okay, you're done," Jenna stated after carefully closing in on me, slipping the knife from my grip. "Sit. Elena, give the woman some chips."

Surprisingly, my sister followed instructions without any questions asked, placing a green bowl filled with potato chips in front of me. The strawberry blonde and the brunette kept staring at me as I shoved the first fist filled with crunchy goodness into my mouth.

"Quit staring at me like I'm crazy!" I commanded, my words being a little indistinct due to the chips not yet swallowed. "Talk about normal stuff or something." Hugging the bowl, I reached to grab another fistful from it.

Elena threw one glance at my protective behavior of the bowl, before she took another one out to fill it up for the rest of the guests. Jenna deemed the salad basically finished, gathering my chopped vegetables in a nice, see-through, glass bowl. Placing it on the dining table, she proceeded with setting the rest of the table as well.

"Thanks for letting me invite Caroline," Elena directed towards Jenna, as our aunt sat down the newly filled bowl of chips. "She could use a day of distraction." When my sister bravely tried to reach to have a taste of my crispy heaven, I slapped her hand away with a hiss.

"Well, she's not the plus one I'm worried about." Jenna returned from setting the table to stand next to Elena, observing me from across the kitchen island. "Why is Damon coming?" _Good question._

"Because Alaric is a pity taker," Elena explained. As I scoffed, she managed to grab a chip. Gasping, I stared at my sister in horror, ignoring Jenna's amused grin. "Come on Jenna, be nice."

"I thought we agreed that he's hot and I should go for it?" I cut in, earning an eyeroll from my aunt.

"We did. But that doesn't automatically mean that I like him. At least not when Mason's in town," she responded, also managing to grab a chip from right under my nose as well. _Damn! I was slipping._

"I forgot how much you used to ship us," I sighed, giving up on my attempts at keeping the bowl with chips for myself, instead sliding it towards the middle of the kitchen island.

"Me and your mom," Jenna pointed out.

My attempted eyeroll caused me to see him before he said a word, sweeping in through the door with a bottle in one hand and four shot glasses in the other, a huge grin plastered on the face with the familiar features.

"Good news! I found the shot glasses!" Mason declared happily, his open jeans shirt flowing a bit behind him. I froze, gulped, and tried to get some kind of contact with my sister.

"That would be my exit," Elena declared to my ex gliding in, getting up from the table. As she went to leave, I silently cursed after her.

"You're here 10 minutes and I'm already back under the bleachers at the pep rally," Jenna laughed, throwing me a quick glance from across the counter. As Mason threw his arm around my aunt's shoulders, she made a discreet gesture with her hand by bringing it to her chin. Getting the hint, I immediately snapped my jaws shut.

"Like old times, huh?" His blue gaze raised to met mine for a split-second, and my heart missed a beat in sheer surprise. "Only I didn't swipe this bottle from my old man," Mason beamed back at Jenna, as he began to fill the shot glasses up to the max.

"I'm pretty sure that I recognize the label," I spoke up, stretching my neck to get a clear view of the bottle.

"Well, just don't tell Carol that I broke into their stock." At Mason's wink, some leftover feelings from my teenage years reacted by digging its claws into the depth of my stomach.

Jenna's beam was enormous, and as Alaric entered through the backdoor with a plate of freshly grilled meat in his hands, I was actually _glad_ , as it averted her attention from gazing between me and Mason with a meaning look and a smug smile.

"Ah! The expensive stuff! I like you already," Alaric chimed as he joined my side of the kitchen island, saving me from the undivided attention.

"Just happy to be invited." Mason's gaze on me was hard to miss, even as I only stared at the content Jenna.

"Thank Ric, it was his idea," my aunt said.

"Really?" I spoke in choir with Mason, suppressing the urge to respond to his smile as we both noticed the coincidence.

"Yeah, you know, I thought it would be nice to meet some of Jenna's high school friends. Dig up a little dirt," Alaric responded.

"You don't need _him_ for that," I scoffed, pointing my thumb towards Mason whilst turning to face Ric.

"Hey, I've got dirt too!" Mason chipped in, smirking as he poured up the final shot glass, handing it to me. Hesitating, my gaze flickered from his face, ignoring Jenna, until I finally accepted it. With the light graze of his fingers against mine sending a sparking through me, I pulled my hand back swiftly. Some of the content spilled out on the floor in the process. Although no one despite me, and maybe Mason, seemed to notice the occurrence.

"I have no secrets. Only dirty shame," Jenna stated, raising her tiny glass for a toast.

"To dirty shame," Alaric agreed with a mischievous smile.

Everyone brought their glasses together to cause a clinking sound, before emptying them in a quick swig. Although, I nearly choked on the strong liquid as a figure dressed in black just then entered the room behind Mason and Jenna.

Damon greeted everyone with a simple, "Hey."

"Damon," was Jenna's only response, not trying to hide her dissatisfaction with him. At all.

With a cough, I called on her attention, reminding my aunt of who had the right to act rude here. However, instead, it made both of the men who I wanted nothing more than to avoid turn their attention, right towards me.

"We were just doing shots. Let me give you a shot glass, buddy," Alaric called from my right, as Damon made a gesture at the box from the Grill in his hands, a pie painted on it. It didn't make Jenna look any happier.

"Use mine." I walked around the right side of the kitchen island, avoiding Mason as thoroughly as possible, before handing the empty shot glass to Damon. His hand went up to take the glass from me as I pushed it against his chest, and the same kind of claws in my stomach dug in again, resonating through my entire my body.

Quickly, I shook the feeling off, as I felt every pair of eyes in the room stare right at me. It had me leaving as fast as I possibly could, without it seeming too suspicious.

* * *

MARCH 2005

 _The English lecture felt as if it had been going on for_ hours _! Emma Cartwright's words had since long melted together, leaving my ears only able to listen to the changes of melody in her voice._

 _Instead of staring at her red, pixie cut, curly hair bounce up and down as she walked back and forth in front of the whiteboard, gesturing with her hands in that elaborate way of hers to be as clear as possible, my eyes drifted to watch the yard outside. A nice view of a big, green lawn and a parking lot, surrounded by a few thick leaf trees, met my gaze. Along with a familiar figure standing by a black, shiny jeep. My head shot up from resting in my palm to get a better look, as my heart instantly swelled up with warmth._

 _This day just turned better._

 _The large, round, white clock on the wall above the door had slowly been moving towards 3PM. Now, it lingered only inches away from the inevitable sound that would mark the end of yet another school day._

Come on! One more little push. Off you pop!

 _The smallest one of the two black needles on the clock finally moved. The loud, familiar signal echoed through the school, filling the classroom._

 _Biting back my beam, I quickly shuffled all my belongings together, shoving them into my beige shoulder bag, hanging on the back of my chair. The rest of the students lingered for one obvious reason; no one wanted to hurry away from Emma's class._

 _Well, everyone except for me._

 _The perfect, cursive handwriting on the board spelled out something that looked like a homework assignment, but I ignored it as I hurried past Emma's blue gaze._

" _Miss Gilbert, may I have a word with you?" she called after me in her smooth, British accent as I swept past her desk._

" _Not now, Em. I've got a hot date waiting." With a wink, I was out the door before she could come with any compelling arguments to why I should stay. Even though there was none._

 _Feet pattering against the stone, I made my way down the steps from the school's main building in a jumpy manner. Right up until I stopped before the handsome guy wearing a grey, tight t-shirt that showed off his very familiar and sculptured muscles underneath._

" _Wow." I let out a whistle, my hand naturally going to cup his cheek. "So this is why you've been so busy the past month." With a nod at the car, I placed a quick kiss on his soft lips, I enjoyed the pleasurable spark of electricity that action still sent through my body, a few days old bristle scratching my cheek as I drew back to meet the blue gaze._

" _Well, I'm all yours now," Mason chuckled, moving to wrap his arm around my waist, leaving it to remain there as we both turned to watch the car before us. It looked recently polished, reflecting the sun's rays beautifully._

" _Nice work," I commented, resting my head on Mason's shoulder. Soon, I felt him return the favor by placing his head atop of mine. "But I'm glad you're done with it, so that you'll have more spare time on your hands." Speaking, I drew a circle with my forefinger on his chest, feeling the shaky sigh it caused as Mason's chest quickly raised and sank under my hand._

" _You wanna take it for a spin?" Mason offered, removing his head from resting on top of mine, to meet my gaze._

" _I'd love to," I smirked, about to walk towards the passenger's seat when Mason's hand pulled me back, making me crash into his embrace._

" _No." Grabbing my hand, he pushed cold metal making up a set of car keys into my hand. "_ You _drive."_

" _Oh?" At my raised brows, Mason's smile widened. Since he still held the keys pressed to my skin, I responded to the offer with another – more intense – kiss._

 _With Dad rarely letting me drive the family's car – probably thinking that I'd be irresponsible and crash it or something – Mason's trust, being literally placed in my hand, meant a lot more to me than I let on as we jumped into the car and took off._

 _The wind whizzed against the vehicle's smooth surface as I stepped on the gas, causing my heart race along with the car. The intoxicating rush of adrenaline flowed through my body, and made every nerve warm up._

 _Bleak shadows were cast from the big leaf trees along the road as we drove through an alley, an empty countryside spreading out beyond the greenness. Happily, I yelled out in ecstasy with Mason's voice backing me up. It had been a while since I'd felt this_ true _rush of happiness soar through me. I'd missed it._

 _Pushing the gas down a little further, I felt the car enhance its speed as much as the exhilarating feeling spread through my body. Momentarily, my hand abandoned the gearshift to grab the smiling Mason's hand, to squeeze it tightly._

* * *

"How's it going?" Elena asked as I entered the kitchen again, having just escaped a loud game of pictionary being played in the living room.

"PUPPY! PUPPY WITH A TUTU!" Caroline's shout came through the tv-room, reaching my ears.

"They're taking this a little too seriously," I informed, rubbing my still aching ears with a sigh.

"And how's–"

" _Otherwise_ it's all good," I interrupted Elena. As she frowned, I pointed at my ears, mouthing _vamp-hearing._

"Oh." My sister nodded. "Right."

"Need help with that?" I moved to take her place of retrieving Damon's peach cobbler from its box.

"Eh– thanks?" The confused Elena allowed me to take her place by the kitchen island.

"Anything to escape _that_ ," I explained with a sigh, nodding towards the living room.

Although my plan didn't work as long as I'd hoped, since a certain drop-dead gorgeous, but still very much murderous, vampire entered the kitchen soon after.

"Aunt Jenna is getting tipsy," Damon declared smugly as he walked past the eye-rolling Elena, who had decided to take up my chips eating across from me, her back facing the group of board game players in the next room.

"Maybe you should stop slipping her alcohol," I suggested, lifting up the pie from its box. Damon moved to stand behind me.

"I want her to like me," Damon enlightened, a purr in my ear. Whether I liked it or not, his body's presence very close to my back was extremely noticeable.

"How is operation Lockwood?" Elena inquired.

"Did you–" The beginning of Damon's sentence was again uttered just by my ear.

"Yeah, Elena informed me of your little plan," I interrupted, trying to ignore the shudder that his mere presence caused. "Just don't try to stake him or something."

"He's a werewolf, Parks. Not a vampire," Damon corrected me. "And he's my new BFF," he answered Elena's question, stopping to stand close enough for my hip to touch his side.

Ignoring my sister's hard gaze trying to pry some information about Damon's behavior out of me, I merely shrugging as a response. It was Damon. Flirting and invading people's personal space was kind of his thing. There was only so many times I could shove him away. Or find the strength for it.

"There you are." Jenna walked into the kitchen. "Isn't this fun?"

"I can think of better–"

"Yes, thank you so much for inviting me," Damon interrupted my muttering as Elena gave me an equally silencing look, before swallowing a potato chip.

"Did I have a choice?" Jenna retorted. As they continued their bickering, I moved away to find something to cut the pie with, unable to help the roll of my eyes as I locked gazes with my sister.

"I know what you must think about me," Damon began.

"No, you don't," Jenna cut off. "You've never dated you; I have dated many you's."

"Well, I'm a work in progress," Damon admitted.

At my short whistle, Jenna turned around, accepting the cake slicer I handed her. Almost instantly, Damon's gaze flickered from it to the stand of similar matching cutlery I had taken the cake server from.

"Oh!" He moved to investigate as I side-stepped to stand next to my sister instead, who seemed troubled, her forehead in creases. "These are fancy."

"Thanks. My mother's silver set," Jenna said. Elena's frown deepend.

She leaned forward, to glance past my figure. Following her gaze, I was just in time to see Damon pick up a silvery knife from the set with a wry smirk. Elena and I shared a quick look, deciding silently to get to work, before she engaged in a lively conversation with Jenna. Whilst I closed the space between me and Damon.

"Yeah, like _that's_ gonna work," I whispered with a hiss, making sure to stand so that I blocked any of Jenna's potential peering looks, nodding at the knife in Damon's hands. "But sure! Go ahead and try."

Even though silver weakening werewolves was as much of a myth as the garlic thing about vampires, I was honestly still curious if Mason actually _had_ activated the gene. Or _curse_ , as the werewolf bunch liked to call it. Damon's attempts at proving him would be useless, but what harm could come of it? _If_ Mason indeed had triggered the curse, then his behavior when Damon started to try out all the werewolf myths might be enough to give away the truth.

"Are you giving me permission to use this?" Damon teased as I realized my mistake statement.

"Scratch that. Don't stab anyone," I warned with a strict finger, earning another smirk from Damon. It didn't exactly ease my bad feeling.

* * *

"Thank you for helping," Elena commented with a huff, as she struggled to close the massive notebook which had been used for the pictionary earlier.

"You're welcome," I answered from my place in an orange armchair, my feet resting comfortably on the coffee table as I took a swig from my beer.

"Hiding out from Mason?" Caroline inquired. Besides from her obviously being different due to turning into a vampire, something else just felt… _off_ about the blonde today. But for the sake of the party, I tried to shrug off the uneasiness.

"Careful, Care. Too much gossip might kill you." I winked, before attempting to take another gulp from the bottle, only to realize that it was very much empty. "You girls proceed," I instructed, waving at Caroline trying to shove all the colorful markers back into their package. Jumping up from my chair, I left them to move through the tv-room and into the dining and kitchen area.

The 'grownups' had taken place by the dark, dining table, set with plates and ready for the desert; it would seem as if my track record for escaping chores today was getting better and better. The pie with the silver cake slicer had been placed before Mason, probably by Damon. But instead of the silver handle facing the potential werewolf, it laid in the opposite direction as Mason was licking his fingers clean after clearly having taken his piece of pie only using his hands.

"Still a slob, I see," I commented as I took the free place next to Mason, grabbing one of the unopened beer bottles from the table to claim it as my own. But as I reached for a bottle opener, I could only state that there was none in sight. Hiding the bottle underneath the table, I removed the little cap using my hand; it hurt a bit, yes, but it was very effective.

"I apologize, I'm an animal," Mason laughed. He was met with suspicious looks from both Damon and Alaric.

Damon's smile grew strained as he gave me a meaning glance, sitting down opposite from me and Mason. As conversation continued, I immediately came to regret the seating. And the entire situation, really.

"So, Mason, you and Jenna never dated?" Alaric asked from the end of the table.

Mason cleared his throat, throwing a quick glance my way, which I could have _sworn_ Damon noticed. But before anyone could say or remark on anything, Jenna appeared from the kitchen with two cups of coffee in her hands.

"Oh, he always had his eyes set on someone else. Right, Mason?" Jenna winked, causing me to choke on my beer. Coughing violently, I waved off attempts of offering me some water to ease my throat, urging for the conversation to continue without me as I dared take another sip from my bottle.

"And she was always lost in Logan Fell land," Mason teased back as I tried to take deep, calming breaths.

"My first mistake. Mason was a catch; he had girls lining up. But like I said–"

"We got it, Jenna," I interrupted my aunt with a stern glare, and kept it on her strawberry blonde head as she moved back to the kitchen island to retrieve something else with a content smile. "Mason was a real womanizer." That evoked a genuine laugh from him, seated next to me.

"Really?" Damon ignored the bickering between me and my aunt to comment on the statement she had uttered before I interrupted. "Huh, I always pegged you for a lone wolf," he directed for Mason.

"I'm sure I wasn't half the lady killer you were," Mason retorted. This time, I almost choked on my beer for a very different reason. I even had to bite into my fist to smother the laughter from escaping me, all whilst I ignored Damon's narrowed glare thrown my way. "How about a toast?" Mason cut in, drawing away Damon's attention from me. "To new friends."

Mason's elbow nudged my side, urging me to raise my bottle. Reluctantly, I did just that, whilst almost being able to _touch_ the strained tension in the air between the vampire and the potential werewolf.

"Cheers!" Jenna exclaimed happily, smiling at me knowingly.

My previous laugh died in my throat. Her constant hints, the tension, Mason's as well as Damon's _presence_! It was too much at once. I just couldn't take it anymore.

"Excuse me," I said, my throat dry and my voice a croak. Placing the beer bottle on the table with a loud thud, without even taking a sip first, I abruptly got up to leave. Ignoring Damon's look of furrowed brows. He'd probably heard my heartbeat picking up.

"Wait, Parks!" Jenna called after me. But I was already halfway up the stairs.

Distantly, another, familiar voice said, "I got it."


	33. A Sort of Atonement

APRIL 2005

" _Chug! CHUG! CHUUUUG!" The crowd broke into a deafening cheer, coming from every direction, as the figure doing a handstand on the beer keg, with the help of those around, finished._

 _From my side, Tanya let out a little scoff, taking a sip from her red, plastic cup filled with an amber-looking and awful-smelling liquid. "Those poor souls," she muttered with a shake of her head. I managed a smile, even if it was a half-assed one._

" _T!" a guy next to the silver beer keg, now without anyone to inhabit it for drinking, waved at the shorter girl beside me to come join._

 _Tanya's almond, corkscrew curls bounced as she shook her head once more. Handing me her cup, she moving towards the keg with the crowd joining into another cheer._

" _GO, TANYA!" I yelled through my hands shaped into an enhancer, applauding to show my support._

 _But as the curvy figure was busy doing a handstand, without any help, I took a step back. Swallowed up by the shadows of the trees, I disappeared from the loud crowd._

Tanya would understand _, I told myself as I sat her empty cup down on a tree stump on my way through a glade not too far away from the party in the dark forest. Choosing my path carefully, to avoid drunk figures wandering around in the gloom light, I set my eyes for the parking lot hinting beyond the trees._

 _The truth was, I wasn't really in a party mood at the moment; hadn't been even when Tanya had suggested the night out earlier today. But Tanya since knew that, she wouldn't mind. At least that was what I kept telling myself as I emerged from the woods to arrive in the lot of cars. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I considered sending her a text to explain, or something._

 _With my phone in my hand, I half-concentrated on the text I was composing, half-scanned the lot for a ride home. Which was why I walked a good few feet past the familiar black jeep, before I realized my mistake and stopped in my tracks. A second later, staring into thin air, I swiveled on my heel._

" _Hey," Mason greeted with a careful nod. Pushing himself off of leaning against his jeep, he folded his arms over his chest as he stepped closer. "I think we need to talk." I only stared, trying to feel as little as possible. And failed miserably._

" _Damn right." I pressed send on the text to Tanya, walking right past Mason, deliberately bumping into his shoulder, before getting into the jeep._

 _He was inside a moment after, his movements quiet and careful as he put on his seatbelt. He was even careful when he started the engine. It made my annoyance stirr, which showed by my knee starting to live a life of its own, as it ticked in sync with my twitching heel._

 _I'd been prepared to wait for ages for him to speak up, to sit and not utter a word as stubbornly as I could, but my lack of patience got the better of me._

" _I'm guessing you didn't talk to her," I said, without my eyes leaving the road the car now turned onto. The vehicle hitched a bit, as if Mason hadn't been prepared for the slicing of the tense silence between us. With a repositioning in his seat, he got the jeep to keep moving forward smoothly._

" _Carol doesn't exactly listen to anyone who doesn't share her point of view," Mason spoke, quietly. Again, carefully. Like I was a bomb waiting to explode, one who had to be handled with caution. Maybe I was._

" _Really? I didn't notice when she accused me of being a whore, golddigger and dragging the good Lockwood name through the dirt." My voice quaked with anger. Feeling it wanting to lash out, I turned my face away, muttering into the palm of my head, "and corrupting you…" Of course, he heard it anyway._

" _She's upset–" Mason began. It was enough for me to snap._

"Upset _, Mason?" I spat, rapidly turning in my seat to him. "Carol Lockwood is nothing short of a bitch who can't stand seeing a lowlife sleep with someone from her family. It doesn't matter who my parents are to her, because in her eyes my actions has made me into_ nothing _. So don't you_ dare _defend her. Not this time."_

 _Mason sighed, utterly defeated. A contrasting opposite to my rage. "She's family, Parker. How can I not?" My face bristling had him proceeding, quickly. "I know she can be heartless and tactless. Yes, even a bitch. But in the end she's still gonna be part of my life forever. She's married to my brother, Parks. I can shut her out. She's friends with your mom, too, so neither can you."_

" _Oh, I am very much aware of their relation. Thank you very much," I scowled. "But here you go, doing what you always do."_

 _Mason dared throw a glance at me, instead of watching the road. His eyes mirrored much of what I myself was feeling inside. Hurt; anger. Warning._

" _You let your family walk all over you," I began, not caring that he flinched at the accusation. "You're an ass. Sometimes with good reason, yeah. Like when it comes to this town's stupid council everyone wants the oh so trusted founding families to be part of. But that's the only damn time you've ever shown some mind of your own, Mason. Otherwise, all you ever do is pick apart your damn old jeep, drink beer with people practically half your age, and hang out with the same sad crowd you knew during high school!"_

 _Mason's eyes were cold when they met mine. The pounding in my ears picked up further than it had during my speech._

" _This has nothing to do with what Carol accused you of," Mason stated, eyeing me relentlessly. I was surprised we hadn't driven us into a ditch yet, given how white his knuckles hugging the wheel were. "It comes back to the same problem: you can't stand this town, nor the people in it. Not your family, not your friends, and certainly not_ me _."_

 _I released a gruff grunt, but he went on._

" _We're not good enough for you, Parker. Not exciting enough. Not mysterious enough. Not_ fun _enough. And we never will be."_

" _Then maybe I should just dump you all and never look back!" I snapped._

" _Maybe you should!" Mason retaliated._

 _We stared at each other, so intensely that I at first didn't even notice the car stopping. Nor that the lawn up to my house was now located behind me._

" _Fine," I said, feeling my burning eyes want to pop out of my head, as I met his orbs ablaze. "Fine. As soon as I'm out of school and free, I'll go. And I won't look back. Because, unlike you, Mase, I actually_ want _something with my life. I want to see places. I want to do things. I want to_ be _something more than that person who never let go of high school. Because I have_ passion _in my life. What do_ you _have? Do you have_ anything _to live for beyond this petty, boring town?"_

 _After a moment, he replied. And with his flat voice and intense eyes on me, almost in disgust, it was the final nail to the coffin. "I thought I did."_

 _Everything inside of me twisted, my face following and shaping into a horrible mask._

 _Without another word, I shoved the car door open and hurled myself out, slamming it shut behind me._

 _With every step I took towards the house, I felt each leave a blow of my ire in the ground. Until I was nothing but a hollow mess, reaching for the front door._

 _The quiet darkness inside was welcomed, enclosing itself around me as I sank to the floor with my back to the door. Every muscle inside of me pounded and shook. My whole body followed, as I banged out the last bit of my fury and heartbreak into the floor using my fist. Then sat in silence._

 _It wasn't until then that I felt another presence in the room with me. As silent as it was calm, the silhouette rose from a chair in the kitchen to move towards me. Even if I hadn't just had my heart mangled into tiny, furious pieces, I wouldn't have wanted to face it._

" _Sweetie_ …" _Mom began, as she flicked on a lonely light on a table by the staircase, her wrinkled forehead of concern becoming evident for the world to see._

" _It's over," was all I said, quickly getting to my feet. "I don't wanna talk about it."_

" _Parker–" Mom tried with her always so sweet voice, now laced with an overwhelming amount of love. I couldn't take it._

"No _, Mom. I'm good. Really. I just want to be alone right now," I stated, side-stepping around her to get to the stairs. "It was bound to happen sooner or later. This is for the best. Really."_

" _Honey_ …" _she tried again, but I was already halfway up the steps, my ears deaf to the rest of her plea._

* * *

The yellow walls in this bathroom really were ghastly hideous. And the only thing I had to stare at, after I'd splashed my burning face with cold water. Although I was saved from focusing on the sight too long, as what I had been expecting to come sounded from one of the three doors leading inside, the one to the upper hallway.

Five knocks, forming a little beat, came from the equally yellow and hideous door to my siblings' shared bathroom. Testing my knocker's patience, I turned my face to study it in the mirror. Panic didn't look good on me.

"Parks?" took over after the knocks. "Can I come in?"

For a moment, I hesitated, staring into my dark eyes, at their matching circles my lazily applied foundation hadn't managed to conceal, as I chewed on my lip, deciding.

The door creaked a little as I pushed it open, revealing a tall figure with light brown, curly hair staring back at me.

"I'm getting a bad déjà vu feeling about this," I sighed and motioned for Mason to close the door after him, as I sat down on the closed toilet seat.

"I can already tell that you're not okay, so I won't bother asking," Mason said, taking position by leaning his back against the washbasin cabinet. When he noticed the running water, about to reach to turn it off, I protested.

"Don't!" I reached out my hand, curling it into a fist as Mason's surprised gaze landed on me. "Just… Leave it."

Slowly, Mason drew back his hand, as something changed in his blue eyes. "You know," he stated

"Yeah," I admitted. "But let's just not talk about that right now." With another sigh, I rubbed at my forehead.

"Can't help but feel a little bad for shit-talking the Council now," Mason commented. I couldn't help the little smile spreading, as I rested my palm against my closed lids.

"I still think they're a bunch of nutters though."

Mason chuckled. "I see that you traveled the world, just like you said." Removing my hand, I watched him with a brow raised in question. "Nutter? Sounds a little British, if you ask me." Mason's simper faltered. "You managed to escapes this _petty, boring town_."

My own smile faded as well. "You memorized my words," I stated, my gaze pierced to the white tiles covering the bathroom floor.

"How could I not?"

At the memory resurfacing, suddenly as fresh as if it had occured yesterday, I pinned my eyes shut. He'd been far from his usual cheerful self that day, which seemed to be the case now as well. But instead of anger, sorrow was on the menu.

"Look, Mason, everything I said–"

"Was exactly what you meant," Mason filled in. Surprised, I opened my eyes and raised my head to meet his earnest voice. "I regret things said that night, too. But we were both angry, and so very, very young. I'm glad you got what you wanted, Parks. To see the world. Really." He smiled, but I couldn't help but see the sadness in it. "And if you hadn't said what you did, who knows how long I would've stayed in this town. Still drinking behind the bleachers."

He winked, but I couldn't muster up the energy to respond in kind. Still feeling the heaviness of the years that had passed.

"My point is, that I don't want you to feel like crap for all that whenever I'm around," Mason went on. "I want us to at least be friends." The suggestion settling between us, I stared at the yellow lower cabinet, trying to feel out what I wanted. What I could bear.

"Mase, I really wish we could be. But…" Forcing my gaze to raise, it came to meet Mason's. "You were my first real love–" Not counting Tim, the bastard. "–and I don't think I could ever really shake those feelings and pretend to be fine, after everything that happened. They're always gonna be there, whether I like it or not. And they're always gonna hurt, a tiny bit."

Whilst Mason didn't look pleased, he still nodded, ever so understanding. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"I know. Me too."

There was a slight pause, only the running water cutting the silence and filling the small room.

"I guess you should know I feel the same," Mason finally spoke. His hands hugged the counter surrounding the sink.

"I'll keep that in mind." A weak smile managed to surface on my face. "But I gotta know, Mase." Switching tracks abruptly, I abandoned our little moment of past heartbreak and possible amends. Instead very serious, for an entierly different reason. "Did you activate it?"

Mason watched my serious expression, as if debating what the right answer was. If I deserved the truth. Finally, he answered with a faint nod. "Yeah. Yeah, I did."

* * *

"We've been standing here for hours!"

"You _just_ left, like, thirty minutes ago. Talk about a hyperbole!" I scoffed, turning to pace in the other direction on the front porch.

"It's… I'm really worried about Stefan, okay?" Elena sighed from my phone. "He hasn't returned any of my calls all day."

"He's a guy, sis," I pointed out. "Sometimes they act douchey, but that doesn't mean that you should come running right away."

"Well, he's not like that," Elena argued. Given, she might have a point: Stefan was a bit of a saint. A vampire saint. When he didn't go on a bloody spree and killed a bunch of people, that was. But those were pretty rare, these days. "It's not the kind of relationship we have. Oh, why did the car have to break down _now_!" My sister's frustrated sigh blew through the phone. In pure instinct, I withdrew the device to hold it a few inches from my ear, in fear of her yelling at me through it; she had a pretty good track record of doing just that.

"I would come and pick you up, but since I don't have a car…"

"It's okay," Elena reassured, sounding somewhat calmer. "We'll wait a little longer and then I'll call Jenna or something… Okay, I gotta go. Caroline's giving me a murderous look."

"Seems to be happening more and more often…" I heard the sharp intake of air, indicating my sister's action of soon hanging up the phone. "Wait! Can I just ask you something really quick?"

"Sure," Elena permitted.

"Is it just me, or is Caroline acting a bit strange?" I had barely talked to the woman all afternoon, being busy thoroughly avoiding Mason, but a weird, suspicious feeling had still begun to creep in.

"She's a vampire now, Parks," Elena reminded me, her voice matter-of-factly. "Of course she's bound to seem a little different."

"It's not that…." I mumbled. It was almost as if the blonde vampire was _hiding_ something.

"I'll listen to you speculate more about that later, but now…" Her impatience coming out, mixed with worry, made a very bad combo.

"Yeah, okay, I got it. I'll talk to you later then."

That seemed to spark Elena's memory. "Oh, yes! You are _definitely_ filling me in on what happened in the bathroom with Mason after I left."

"Fine," I said with an exhaled laugh, shaking my head. She hung up with a content sound. "Busybody," I added.

"Who is?" Alaric asked, just opening the front door and sticking his head out.

"Who do you think?" I chuckled, tucking my phone away. "You're leaving?"

"Oh _nooo_ ," he empethized, dragging his no out with a shake of the head. "I'm on dish dudy. But the rest are breaking up."

Following him inside, I came face to face with Jenna walking Mason out.

"No more takers for drinks at the Grill?" Mason checked with his arms out in a grand gesture. Along with Jenna and Alaric, finding one another like a magnets and sticking at the hips, I smilingly shook my head. "It's like I'm with a bunch of adults here!" Mason complained, jokingly. However, the glance he cut my way was understanding enough. Maybe there was hope yet.

"I prefer the term _role model_ ," Jenna corrected

"Okay. Well, thanks for having me." Mason embraced Jenna in a hug. "It was awesome." He drew back, moving around her and stopping in front of me whilst blocking my aunt's prying eyes. "It was good to see you, Parks." Mason nodded. Briefly weighing my decision, I stepped forward to pull him into a quick hug.

"You too, Mase." His still familiar scent was imposible to not breathe in, and it lingered around me as I pulled back. As if noticing the whiff stuck in my nose, Mason brought out his signature, laid-back grin.

"Alaric," Mason proceeded, continuing his farewells by shaking Ric's hand. "Catch that game next week?"

"Yeah, I look forward to it," the history teacher responded.

"Hey, you know, I should probably head out too," Damon said, walking through the hallway from the kitchen to join the parting crowd.

Mason responded with a curtly nod Damon's way and gave me a last wink, before exiting via the front door. Watching his back disapear out the door with a frown, I got the feeling something had happened between those two whilst I took my phonecall; and either it was very good, or the worst thing possible, given the circumstances.

"Jenna." Damon stopped before the strawberry blonde woman to take her hand. "You are a wonderful hostess," he complimented, placing a kiss on her hand.

"And you are a terrible artist," Jenna replied and ripped her hand free from the jet-black haired man's grip with a stern glare.

"Is that the only thing that makes me terrible?" Damon checked, almost hopefully.

Jenna threw a quick glance my way. "I'm still deciding."

"Good enough for me," Damon declared with his hands raised. He moved towards the front door, but halted before me. Jenna's gaze now burnt holes into the side of my face. "Parker."

Straightening up my posture with my arms crossed, I intently awaited Damon's potentially frivolous comments, bound to come since those had been fairly few so far this afternoon.

"Am I still a complete psycho?" he checked with a charming smirk.

I held back a laugh to Jenna's mouth dropping open out in the corner of my eye. "You're getting there," I gave him, causing Damon's smirk to grow. He seemed pleased enough, as he made his way around me to the door, brushing back just a _bit_ too close. I would've bumped him away as a warning, but he was already out of my reach before I had time to react.

"Alaric," the vampire said as he was halfway out the front door. "Let's _not_ catch that game next week."

Ric had a hint of a smile as Jenna turned to me with a meaning look. "Bromance," she declared.

"No such thing," I responded, singsongingly. "I'm heading out too." I opened my arms for Jenna to enter and hugged my aunt tightly. "I have a boss who needs to be buttered up."

"Yeah, right. How many shifts did you miss thanks to your little unexpected trip out of town?" Jenna inquired with poorly hidden bitterness. Why people couldn't just accept that I didn't want everyone to know where I was every second of every day was just beyond me. Jeez!

"Too many," I sighed. "Bella's gonna kill me. Could you flunk her little brother for me as revenge if so?" I asked Alaric as I hugged him as well.

"It's against the faculty's rules, I'm afraid," he said, loud enough for Jenna to hear. "Maybe," was the whispered answer that reached my ears. Withdrawing, I rewarded him with a smile. I knew he was a good guy.


End file.
